Περίληψη : Γενικές Πληροφορίες Area: 86.125 Km2

IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ Συγγραφή : Τσώνος Κωνσταντίνος , Κέκου Εύα , Σίδερης Αθανάσιος Μετάφραση : Ντοβλέτης Ονούφριος , Ντοβλέτης Ονούφριος (31/10/2006) Για παραπομπή : Τσώνος Κωνσταντίνος , Κέκου Εύα , Σίδερης Αθανάσιος , "Mykonos", 2006, Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Μ. Ασία URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=10439> Περίληψη : Γενικές Πληροφορίες Area: 86.125 km2 Coastline length: 89 km Population: 9,320 Island capital and its population: Mykonos or Chora (6,467) Administrative structure: Region of South Aegean, Prefecture of the Cyclades, Municipality of Mykonos Local newspapers: Mykoniatis, Mykoniatiki Local radio stations: Venus Radio (88.0 and 99.3), Galaxias FM (93.0), Μykonos FM (96.6 and 98.1) Museums: Mykonos Archaeological Museum, Maritime Museum of the Aegean, Folklore Museum (Lena's House, Castle's House, Bonis Windmill- Agricultural Museum), Ecclesiastical Museum of Panagia Tourliani, Municipal Art Gallery Archaeological sites and monuments: Neolithic settlement at Ftelia, castle of Chora, Palaiokastro, building complex with an anciant tower at Linos, Hellenistic towers at the sites "Portes" and "stou Sklavouni to Vouni", Ano Mera, windmills, neoclassical town hall Traditional settlements: Mykonos (Chora), Ano Mera Cultural clubs: Women's Cultural and Folklore Association of Mykonos, Women's Association of Ano Mera, Movement of Mykonos' Citizens, Theatre Club DEPPA of Mykonos Events: Vine-harvest festival at Bonis Windmill-Agricultural Museum (on the second or third Sunday of September) Religious feasts: On St Paraskevi's day (July 26th), Dormition of Virgin Mary at Panagia Tourliani (August 15th), on the 9th day from the Dormition of Virgin Mary (August 23d), on St Nicholas' day (December 6th), on St Apostles' day-Fishermen's festival (June 30th) Sport clubs: Sport Club "Ano Mera", Mykonos Sport Club, Mykonos Gymnastic Club 1. Position - Environment Mykonos is located in the south part of the Cyclades, north of Naxos, east of Syros and southeast of Tinos. Ships connect it with all neighboring islands and the ports of Piraeus and Rafina, whereas airplanes connect it with Athens. Its ground consists of granite and is extremely arid and dry, but has more lowlands than the rest of the Cycladic islands. Profitis Ilias Anomeritis (341 m) at the eastern side of the island and Profitis Ilias Varniotis (373 m) at the northwestern part are its highest peaks. The shores of Mykonos are quite partitioned, forming many small leeward coves with wonderful beaches at the south and northeastern side, and deep exposed ones at the north side. Its subsoil is rich in deposits of lead, silver and barite, whereas the artificial lake of Marathi, constructed in 1993, handles the problem of the island’s water supplies. 2. History 2. 1. From Prehistory to Byzantine Times A Neolithic settlement (5th-4th millennium BC) has been recently located at Ftelia, showing that the island took part in the Δημιουργήθηκε στις 25/9/2021 Σελίδα 1/7 IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ Συγγραφή : Τσώνος Κωνσταντίνος , Κέκου Εύα , Σίδερης Αθανάσιος Μετάφραση : Ντοβλέτης Ονούφριος , Ντοβλέτης Ονούφριος (31/10/2006) Για παραπομπή : Τσώνος Κωνσταντίνος , Κέκου Εύα , Σίδερης Αθανάσιος , "Mykonos", 2006, Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Μ. Ασία URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=10439> developments of Earlier Prehistory. Early Cycladic graves (mount Diakoftis), Middle Helladic remnants (Palaiokastro), a tholos tomb from the Mycenaean period (1400-1200 BC) at Angelika –one of the few on the Cyclades–, as well as chamber graves at Korfos, demonstrate the inclusion of Mykonos in the Bronze Age developments. The sparce information from the Archaic Period attests the existence of two autonomous cities (Dipolis, meaning “two cities”), identified probably with Palaiokastro and the Castle of Chora. They were later (200 BC) united forming the Synoikismos. After the Persian Wars, Mykonos joined the Athenian League. In the 3rd century, it belonged to the sanctuary of Delos, the rise of which led Mykonos to decline. We do not have enough information on the history of the island during Hellenistic and Roman times or the Late Antiquity and the Early Byzantine period. In the Byzantine period, Mykonos was a part of the theme of Achaia and later of the theme of the Aegean Sea. 2. 2. From Latin Rule until Today After the Franks conquered Constantinople (1204), the island was granted in 1207 to the Venetians Andrea and Geremia Ghisi, nephews of the Doge of Venice Enrico Dandolo and vassals of Marco Sanudo, ruler of the Duchy of the Aegean. The Ghisi fortified the hill of Palaiokastro, where many of the residents had sought refuge after the 7th century Arab raids. Ruggero di Lauria’s Catalans (1292) sacked the island, as did Süleyman the Magnificent’s admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa in 1537, resulting to the island’s population decrease, since many residents had either been sold as slaves or had fled. Mykonos was included in the Ottoman Empire and prospered thanks to the privileges granted to it; institutions of communal self-administration were particularly developed, as in the other Cycladic islands. The island developed into a naval centre and its population grew considerably. In the 18th century, piracy, shipping (captains, ship- builders) and trade were the main occupations of the inhabitants. Mykonos was a prosperous community. During the Russo-ottoman War (1768-1774), Mykonos was on the Russians’side in their clashes with the Ottomans in the Aegean. Due to its naval prosperity, during the 1821 Greek War of Independence Mykonos had 22 ships with 132 canons and 450 men under the command of admiral Tombazis. It participated actively in the war. Among the Mykonians stood out Mando Mavrogenous (1796 or 1797-1840), who staffed and maintained ships on her own cost, while she also supported financially the operations against the Egyptian troops. During the War of Independence, refugees from Crete and the neighbouring islands helped the island develop economically. In 1830, Mykonos, as the rest Cycladic islands, was incorporated in the territory of the new Greek nation-state. In the late 19th century, the development of steam navigation, which dealt a blow to Mykonian shipping, led many Mykonians to migrate towards the Danubian ports and the USA. Mykonos’decline lasted until the first post-war decades. In 1941, Mykonos came initially under Italian rule, since the Axis Powers occupied the Greek territory. After Italy capitulated in 1943, the Germans occupied it up to its liberation in 1944. From the 1950s Mykonos developed into a centre of international tourism. Today it is one of the most cosmopolitan tourist destinations worldwide. 3. Archaeological Sites and Monuments Modern intensive building has frequently turned against the visibility of Mykonos’many archaeological sites. Hill Palaiokastro, in the island’s hinterland, near Ano Mera, is the most significant site. It is accessed through an asphalted network and a small walk. It has remnants of ancient walls and buildings, as well as pottery dating from the Geometric, Archaic and Hellenistic Times beneath the Mediaeval and Venetian Castle of the Ghisi. The above attest the site’s use over time, and probably identify Palaiokastro with one of the island’s two Archaic cities. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 25/9/2021 Σελίδα 2/7 IΔΡΥΜA ΜΕΙΖΟΝΟΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ Συγγραφή : Τσώνος Κωνσταντίνος , Κέκου Εύα , Σίδερης Αθανάσιος Μετάφραση : Ντοβλέτης Ονούφριος , Ντοβλέτης Ονούφριος (31/10/2006) Για παραπομπή : Τσώνος Κωνσταντίνος , Κέκου Εύα , Σίδερης Αθανάσιος , "Mykonos", 2006, Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Μ. Ασία URL: <http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=10439> At the Castle of Chora and its outskirts (Tria Pigadia, Alefkantra, Kato Myloi), ancient architectural remains have been uncovered, as well as historical times’burials, which probably mark the location of the second city and the capital of the Synoikismos (200 BC). The settlement of Ftelia in the cove of Panormos is accessed through a cemented road and a negotiable dirt road at a deviation of the central road network of Chora - Ano Mera. It is a significant site dating from the Neolithic Period, whereas the mound covering the settlement has been identified with the tomb of Homeric hero Ajax (Aias) of Locris. Hellenistic towers and building complexes have also been uncovered at Linos and Portes at the southeast side, while remains dating from Prehistory up to Roman Times have been unearthed at cape Divounia. The Archaeological Museum of Chora houses findings from the aforementioned sites. The main ones are the “Lady of Mykonos”, the Neolithic figurine from Ftelia, and the monumental pithamphora with a depiction of the Fall of Troy in relief from a tomb at Tria Pigadia (second quarter of the 7th century BC). It also houses the significant findings from neighbouring Rineia. The Castle of Chora is comprised of houses with a common wall forming high walls reinforced with towers. A small gate of the Castle has been preserved at the picturesque monastery of Paraportiani. A typical characteristic of the Castle are the katastegia, oblong corridors underneath the houses, which connect parallel alleys, making the limits between private and public space indistinct. 4. Traditional architecture – Settlements The settlement of Chora is flat and differs from the amphitheater-like built capitals of the rest of the Cycladic islands. Although it has been burdened by intensive building over the past years, it still holds some of its traditional characteristics. Two-storey houses with a narrow or wide façade, a separate stone-built staircase leading to the upper floor (anoi) and wooden balconies, as well as the narrow slab-paved alleys, are characteristics of the main traditional architectural type. Houses are divided in two spaces: the room where women used to work (argaleios, meaning spinning loom) and the sleeping room. A wooden staircase and a hatch connect them with the ground floor. Women’s handicraft production of textiles dates from Mediaeval Times and has turned the island into a production center of quality textile products. The famous neighbourhood of Alefkantra is pictured in many photographs and postal cards.

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