The truth is, the first distant image from the sea had not excited my admiration. On the horizon Syros was a typical silhouette of a barren Cycladic island, on which the Aegean nature seemed to have exhausted all its austerity. Hills rocky and bare, with vegetation rudimentary to non-existent. Their unique ornamentation and traces of human presence, a labyrinthine network of dry stones, which from a distance resemble a giant spider web. However, the first image of the island is deceptive, Syros keeps its charms carefully hidden from the distant viewer. She reveals them one by one, triumphantly and with the smugness of beauty, as the ship approaches the harbour. First the blue domes of the churches of St. Nicholas and Resurrection. Soon the architectural details of the mansions in the “Vaporia” district are outlined, which, clinging to an unbroken building unit on the rocks, are reflected in the water.

The ship is squashed on the shore, taking its final straight line to the harbour. Two conical hills are revealed, framing the waterfront. These are the hills of Ano Syros and Ermoupolis, dotted with white and pale yellow houses, a compact and picturesque settlement, which climbs from the beach to the peaks. The churches of St. George and the Church of the Resurrection, symbols of the respective denominations of the island, Catholic and Orthodox, dominate there. It is an overall image of incomparable grandeur, impossible to erase from memory, and it catalytically reverses the island’s initially colourless appearance. No one, however, can guess from the deck of the ship the architectural details of unparalleled beauty, the historical route, the rhythms of life, the particular identity and nobility of this place. We are now attempting to make up for the omission of our youth, when we were content with a fleeting glimpse of Syros, succumbing to the siren call of other Cycladic islands.

IN THE HEART OF WINTER

It was hard to imagine, just two weeks before Christmas, that we would not spend it “white” and picturesque in one of our favourite mountain destinations. With cold and the smell of wood from the chimneys of the fireplaces, wine and beautiful company, just as tradition would have it. And while we were envisioning all these – and many other – traditional privileges, we suddenly renounced the altitudes, our eyes and minds turned to the sea. There, in the centre of the Aegean, Syros emerged as a powerful and irresistible magnet. This was preceded by the enticing descriptions and stories of our traveler friend Kyriakos Papageorgiou and our strong desire to experience the winter aspect of the island and even at Christmas. First stop at the cosmopolitan “Eleftherios Venizelos” and next – and final – at the island’s lilliputian airport, which, compared to the vast previous one, looked like a cute miniature.

However, Syros’ initial reception was not particularly friendly. Several hundred metres above the foamy Aegean waters, the clouds were thick and the wind was strong. The small helicopter reacted with sudden shakes, which we received inside as annoying “turbulence”.

How to balance coffee and juice!

The flight attendant saw the futility of the attempt and decided to withdraw them. Thus we all contributed – unintentionally – to our national carrier’s attempt at “financial consolidation”.

At the exit of the airport we are greeted by the “Cycladic winter” with the main characteristics of a cold northerly wind and a temperature of 6 degrees, too low – admittedly for an island. But we are also greeted by a new car with the key in the ignition and an informative map of Syros, courtesy of the travel, tourism and car rental agency “Vasilikos”.

As we descend slightly from the airport, the spectacle of the hills of Ermoupolis and Ano Syros spreads out to the north with fascinating immediacy. Our journey to the city centre takes no more than five minutes. Before we reach the main harbour, a few towering steel silhouettes remind us of the heyday of Syros’ industrial past and present. They are the large cranes of the famous “Neorio”, the large shipbuilding and repair unit, which for a century and a half has been inextricably linked to Syros.

Opposite us, on the eastern arm of the harbour, stands the stone-built and long building of the Port Authority. We are already in the heart of the coastal avenue, the traffic of vehicles and pedestrians is lively, without becoming annoying for a moment.

Perpendicular to the coastal avenue is the main street El. Venizelos, which gives us an excellent view of the top building of Ermoupolis, the famous Town Hall. We ascended from the amazing size and beauty paved Miaouli Square, adorned with the statue of the legendary admiral of the Revolution. Above, the historic buildings of the “Club Hellas” and the Municipal Theatre “Apollo” are imposing with their superb architecture and immediately afterwards the magnificent church of St. Nicholas with its two bell towers and its imposing dome. We are already reaching the most prominent district of the city, the “Vaporia”, at the eastern end of the city over the sea. A few seconds later, the hotel “Syros Melathon” appeared in front of us. It is housed in a nice neoclassical house of 1856, originally owned by Nikiforos Georgiadis and later by Evangelos Barbetas. In recent years it has been owned by the Drakakis family and since the summer of 1996 it has been operating as a 4**** hotel with a total of 21 rooms of which 5 are suites. The family has preserved the traditional character of the building and many architectural elements of the past are preserved both on the exterior of the building and inside. Most parts of the floors are made of white Parian and Tinian marble, while the floors of the rooms are oak. The high-ceilinged rooms are decorated with traditional ceiling paintings, which together with the other decorative elements and the carefully chosen furnishings give the hotel a sense of nobility and discreet luxury.

The “Syros Melathron” operates continuously throughout the year and provides high quality services 24 hours a day. It is worth highlighting the top view to the eastern horizon of the Aegean Sea, both from the comfortable sofas of the living room and the breakfast area, as well as from the stunning terrace “Galaxy”, which offers the residents wonderful summer moments.

THE ‘VAPORIA’ DISTRICT AND THE CREATION OF ERMOUPOLIS

A steaming cup of coffee in the sitting room of the ‘Syros Melathron’. Sinking into the sofa, I gaze at the distant southeastern horizon of the Aegean Sea and the slow coming of the day. At some point the sun emerges from between the clouds and over the long outline of Naxos, scattering the first light across the sea and onto the bulk of the island of Didimi or Gaidouronisi.

At the northern end of the uninhabited island stands the imposing stone lighthouse of Syros, a monumental work by I. Erlacher, which began construction in 1834. The height of the structure is 29.5 metres and 68 metres above sea level. It was the first lighthouse with a rotating mechanism in the Aegean Sea. Its size and reach fueled for years the popular narrative that its brilliance was distinguished even from Smyrna. (1)

As the sun rises, it sheds its light and highlights the glamour of the mansions in the “Vaporia” district. These houses, lined up side by side over the sea, rival each other in grandeur and volume. Here, on the eastern side of the city, which had always been considered the most hygienic and privileged, the first leading stratum of local society came to settle, consisting of upper-class families with connections to the big cities of the Ottoman Empire and Europe. Well known among them were the families of Rallis, Rodokanakis, Petrokokkinou, Psyche, Negreponti, Kalvokoresi, Mavorgordatos and so many others. Some of them had their roots in the Byzantine Empire and most of them came from Chios. But the families of settlers from Smyrna, Psara, Macedonia, Hydra and Roumeli also played a leading role in the public affairs of Syros.

The houses in the area belong to three generations. From the first (1821-1840) very little survives. From the second (mid-19th century) several typical urban mansions with relatively simple facades are preserved. The most numerous are the houses of the third generation, after 1870-80. The representatives of the new ruling class who built them imitated the nobility of their predecessors, emphasizing their wealth more with the exterior features of the mansions, ornate decoration and full-marble cladding.

During the inter-war period, the descendants of this younger ruling class began to leave Ermoupolis, as did the first settlers. Houses were rented or donated to the Municipality and the State, housing public services. Several were abandoned or fell into disrepair. Some were renovated or new ones were built, but without always respecting the architectural character of the old ones. (2).

Apart from the coastal zone in the ‘Vaporia’, a tour of the interior of the district is of great interest. The Tsiropina square is beautiful, with its palm trees, the excellent paving and the neoclassical buildings surrounding it. It was opened in 1880 and later took the name of the Chios Konstantinos Tsiropinas, banker, shipowner and one of the owners of Neorio, who was the Mayor of Ermoupolis from 1887 to 1895. Other very interesting buildings are the twin house of Apostolos Mumoutzis, built in 1887-88, the house of Zygomalas, built in 1880, which today houses the PPC.

Of great historical interest is the house of the Chian merchant and Mayor of Ermoupolis, from 1853 to 1862, Ambrosios Damalas, which was built before 1876 and hosted the royal couple Otto and Amalia. The interior is decorated with rich frescoes, one of which bears the signature of the Italian painter G. Tammi of 1853, which is a rare testimony, since the names of the Italian fresco painters who decorated the houses are not known to us.

The oldest surviving house in the area is that of Mytarakis, built in 1827, with the character of a Turkish folk house and elements of Balkan architecture.

We could mention at least ten other valuable houses built in different periods of the 19th century. We limit ourselves to simply point out that a walk through the “Vaporia” district reveals in the most authentic way the nobility and the unparalleled architectural tradition of Syros.

This architecture is mentioned in the stunning publication of the Commercial Bank of Greece (3). ‘No Greek city presents such a uniform, chronologically and typologically, architectural picture as Ermoupolis. All its buildings, public and private, its churches and monuments, are creations of the 19th century. No ancient ruin, no Byzantine church stands out among them. Only the concrete blocks, built in more recent years at the edges of the town and on the harbour beach, interrupt this uniformity, which gives the town a primary, or rather unique, significance.

The creation of Ermoupolis at the beginning of the 19th century coincides with the beginning of modern Greek architecture. The two rhythms, neoclassical and romantic, which have characterized European architecture since the mid-18th century and for about 100 years, now prevail for the first time in Greece. The European lessons are being applied very successfully in Greece… Ermoupolis stands out from all other provincial centres. Its early and lively economic development, its frequent contacts with European centres and the fact that many European architects, mainly Germans and Italians, worked there in the early years, contributed to the creation of an architectural style in accordance with the principles of “Romantic Classicism”, but more influenced by Western models. Regardless of the internal or external influences, however, the architecture of Ermoupolis should be characterised as monumental. The buildings, both public and private, are distinguished by their all-marble façades (4) and generally by their carefully carved masonry, solid construction and architectural decoration, more or less lavish, but always worked in accordance with classical teachings and with great skill. But the buildings of Ermoupolis are not shown off as much as they deserve. As they rise in narrow and irregular streets, they do not let you enjoy them in their entirety, and photographs often distort their proportions and architecture.”

Speaking of the “Vaporia” district, we could not omit the church of St. Nicholas. As has been aptly written, “it bears the first place of all the churches in Greece, even surpassing the Metropolis in Athens”. Built in a dominant position, it stands out imposingly from afar with its blue dome and tall spires.

It was founded in 1848 and owes its construction and rich decoration to the Municipality of Ermoupolis, to Otto, to Baron Sina and to many other donors, mainly from Chios and expatriates from Russia and Constantinople. The official inauguration took place on 13 September 1870. With the completion of the iconostasis and the completion of the interior decoration at the end of the 19th century, the church took its present form.

A separate article would be required to report on the variety of architectural details and decoration of the church. We limit ourselves to mention that in plan view the church has a cross-shaped sign with maximum dimensions of 42 x 24.26 metres! Its type is basilica with a dome. The impression of the dimensions, the marble columns, the interior decoration and the overall structure is unique. As unique as the iconostasis is – work of the sculptor G. Vitalis. It is made of white pendulum marble with inlaid at the base green and red Italian marbles. It is considered one of the most beautiful temples of the last century in composition and execution. The decoration of the walls is also rich, with many icons by 19th century hagiographers and many and varied valuable ecclesiastical vessels from various donors.

But when and how was Ermoupolis created? Walking around the city and observing the details, the paved streets and squares, the harbour, the imposing buildings and the alleys with countless steps, which like stone spines go up to the high towers, one gets the impression that one is in a city with a long settlement tradition.

It is impossible for the traveller to imagine that this city, the most noble of all the cities in Greece, has not yet completed two centuries in time. And that, before the Revolution of ’21, there was nothing on the site of today’s Ermoupolis except a few warehouses and shops around the harbour.

In his excellent two-volume “History of the settlement of Ermoupolis”, which was awarded in 1974 by the Academy of Athens, Andreas Th. Drakakis (8) describes with exceptional vividness the socio-historical and religious conditions that prevailed on the island at that time. We are thus informed that ‘the first refugees who fled to Syros from the beginning of the Greek Revolution were Chians’. Their numbers were small and so their arrival on the island was not particularly noticeable. The massacres of Smyrna, Kydonia and Moschonisia caused a new, larger wave of refugees from these areas, which created the first social unrest on the island. Drakakis refers to this: “The refugees who fled from Kydonia and Moschonisia to Syros reached a miserable situation. They were ragged, impoverished and destitute. There were certainly no houses to house them, nor were there any to house them, and even if there were, they would not be taken care of. The natives, as was the case in the other islands, were displeased to see hundreds of hungry and bereaved people gathering in their island, knowing that in the last analysis, they would live to seize their fruits and possessions. Before this state of things, those of the unhappy refugees who had ventured to make themselves at home in the Orthodox churches and the galleries of the town of Upper Syrah were housed there; the others, many of them, were saved in the street corners, in company with the swine, and in the midst of all manner of filth. (9)

All the workers of them all came to the beach during the day to look for work, and in the evening, before the bells of the temples of Upper Syra sounded, at 9 p.m., they came to the town”.

But let us follow for a moment, again from Drakakis’ description, how the desperate living conditions of the first refugees gave rise to Ermoupolis.

“The poor but industrious Kydonians and Moschonians refugees, when they began to earn enough money from their work to support their families, decided to leave the uncomfortable hovels (10) of Ano Syra and to build makeshift shelters on the beach, where at least they would be close to their work and live in a clean atmosphere. These shelters were made of cans, wood, old sacks and other waste materials, which were stored in the open air or on the beach of the port.

These first inhabitants of the harbour were joined by many others, so that within six months a miserable settlement of huts, improperly constructed on the rocky and uncultivated land around the harbour, had been created under the harbour. Thus, the first settlement of refugees on the beach was formed by refugees from Kydonia and Moschonis, who, according to commonly accepted versions, became the first inhabitants of the coastal area, which was later transformed into the commercial and maritime capital of Hellenism’.

What followed was stormy and unique for the Greek data. Let us dwell for a moment on a few milestones in the development of the city, as recorded in the book “ERMOUPOLI”, by the Commercial Bank.

“Thanks to its rapid growth, the settlement soon ceased to be an anonymous settlement on the harbour beach. It becomes “Ermoupolis”, a name by which it honoured the entire Greek world. The naming ceremony – the baptisms, we could say – took place in 1826 in the newly built church of Metamorphosis. It was there that the inhabitants gathered to assert their decision to form a community and to choose its name. Many names were suggested. Finally, the proposal of the Chian Loukas Rallis, who is the sponsor, was accepted. He has preserved in his “Memories” the only real scene of the naming ceremony: “… then among the others, I said. Gentlemen, under the aegis of Hermes, the Governor of Commerce, this city was founded and promoted. I think it just and fitting, therefore, that we should dedicate it to Hermes of Cerdos, and call it Hermutopolis. Hermoupolis! Hermoupolis! the cries of all echoed everywhere, and a protocol was accordingly drawn up, which Mr. Mansolas, receiving it, acted upon the Government, and since then the name of the new city “Hermoupolis” has been established.

With the arrival of Kapodistrias in Greece, in 1828, Ermoupolis is now an established city with 13,805 inhabitants. It was designated the seat of the Northern Cyclades, acquired administrative authorities and was systematically organised. In April 1833 Syros was incorporated into the prefecture of Cyclades and Ermoupoli became the capital of the whole prefecture. In 1835 Georgios Petritsis was elected the first mayor. Ermoupolis owes its amazing progress in the last century to local government. It was an honour for the Ermoupolitans to participate in public life. Most of the mayors were successful merchants, active and intelligent people, whose sole aim was the progress of the place. Th. Orphanides in 1859:

“I do not know of any municipality of the State except Ermoupolis, not excluding the Municipality of Athens, where such good use is made of the taxes collected, where both the authority and the citizens contribute so much to public works. It seems that he that knoweth that by earning money, he knoweth how to spend it well. Our capital (Athens) would like to change its form, if it could learn from the Herbupolites. Lallo in conscience”.

Thanks to its commercial and industrial activity, Erboupoli became the seat of many European consulates. The city is shaped in terms of urban planning and architecture, water supply, drainage, sanitation, cleaning, lighting and security for its citizens, and especially health issues. In 1842 Ermoupolis acquired the largest building in Greece, the Infirmary.

Throughout the 19th century, Ermoupolis played a major and important role in the life of the country. The second city of the state after Athens, with a population of around 20,000, it is essentially the first city of commercial and industrial importance. Piraeus will take many more years to reach its own development. The case of Ermoupolis, despite its subsequent weakening, therefore remains unique. Its economic, cultural and social life not only became a model for many other cities, but to this day it still gives the image of a successful state. This is why the chronology of its foundation and creation is so important.

THE HAPPINESS OF A TOUR OF ERMOUPOLIS

After the fascinating tour of the “Vaporia” district, we descend towards the centre. For the inhabitant of a big city, it is a true happiness to move around Ermoupolis, where the car is useless and distances are covered in a few minutes on foot. A little further down from the monument of Orthodoxy, the church of St. Nicholas, is another monument of art and culture, the Municipal Theatre “Apollo”. Built in 1862-64, it is the emblem of the cultural development of Ermoupolis. The two floors are separated by a band of porous stone, while the main façade is entirely made of marble with four pillars bearing scientilio. Inside, the exquisite square with its three rows of wooden boxes and the gallery provide seating for 350 spectators, a space certainly too small to accommodate the interest of Syrians in cultural events. The ceiling is impressive, decorated with the portraits of Aeschylus, Homer, Euripides and the more recent VERDI, ROSSINI, DANTE, MOZART, BELLINI, DONIZETTI.

Immediately afterwards, with our guide Peggy Stergiou, who is a wealth of knowledge, we visit the Municipal Cultural Centre, where the historic “Club Hellas” was housed until the 1970s. A part of the building houses the “Museum of Cycladic Art Replicas”. It was founded in 1992 by the Syrian shipowners Yannis and Eleni Vati and includes copies of Cycladic art from originals that are housed in the Dolis Goulandris Museum in Athens.

Maria Kapari, who has been involved in information, guiding and educational programs since the opening of the Museum, guides us through the exhibits of the Museum and proudly tells us about the innovative and unique in Greece informal “Little Guides Group”, consisting of children aged 7-14 years old, who, for 6 years now, have been welcoming and guiding visitors to the island in their own charming way at three key points: The Town Hall, the Museum of Cycladic Art and the Apollo Theatre. At times, many educational institutions, public and private, from all over Greece, as well as personalities from the political, intellectual and artistic world have been guided.

We could not miss a visit to the Municipal Library, which was founded in 1926 under the mayoralty of Epa. It is housed on the ground floor of the Cultural Centre. It is a real temple of knowledge, with over 45,000 volumes, constant enrichment and daily operation. In the library’s garden, four busts of scholars of the last century, who lived for a long time or came from the island, Dem. Dimitrios Vikelas, Emm. D. Roidis (famous for his novel “Pope Joanna”), the satirical poet Georgios Souris, the historian Timoleontas Abelas, and the poet Rita Boumi-Pappa.

It is time to visit the Town Hall, the top public building of Ermoupolis and one of the most magnificent town halls in the country. It is the work of the great German architect Ernesto Chiller and was founded with great solemnity on 11 January 1876 during the mayoralty of the Chios Mayor Demetrios Vafiadakis. It is built on the axis of the main street Elefth. It is three-storey towards Miaouli Square and, due to the difference in height, two-storey towards the back street. The impression it makes is monumental, one could say that it looks more like a palace. Its rich architectural decoration contrasts with the simple facades of the houses of Ermoupolis.

The dimensions of the building, in place of the first floor pilasters, are impressive: 69.75 x 40.40 metres! The ground floor, 7 metres (!) high, is arranged in shops and is the most monumental part, built entirely of marble carved masonry. Equally impressive is the marble staircase, 15.50 m high and 15.50 m wide, leading from the square to the first floor.

From the central propylon we enter the antechamber with the Tuscan ribbed columns. Of particular interest on the floor is the meeting room of the Municipal Council with the oil paintings of King George I and Olga, works by the painter Sp. The most interesting aspect of the exhibition is the view of the building, painted by the painter Prosalentis.

On the ground floor of the Town Hall, in a large atrium with an old paved floor and 16 columns all around, we enjoy a Greek coffee in an authentic atmosphere of another era.

But Ermoupolis is not only historical buildings of monumental architecture. It is still a city that is very much alive, which, especially in the heart of winter, makes us forget that we are in the almost deserted Cyclades. It is a true capital, pulsating with commercial activity and people, with amazing shops in main streets and narrow streets, cheerful and polite people, who impress us with their class and stately manners. We can see it everywhere, in the historic and almost century-old bookstore of Stathopoulos, awarded by the Academy of Athens for its long-standing contribution, in the old and also old Athimaritis confectionery, in the surprisingly tasteful wine cellar of Kritsinis, in the famous Syrian loukoumi Denaxas, the magnificent and cosmopolitan café-bar “MEGARON” housed in a neoclassical building of 1870, the wonderful restaurants-taverns “PETRINO” and “OINOPNEFYMATA” with the variety of flavors and excellent service, in every transaction and contact with the people of Ermoupolis.

Christmas Eve, wonderful weather, on the beautiful paved pedestrian street of Kyparissos Stefanou, the flowering bougainvilleas join above our heads blossoms and branches in a beautiful natural arch. Streets crowded and lined, windows dazzling, hands full of gift wrappings, Christmas music from the loudspeakers, the municipal band, the children’s triumphant triumphs, a general euphoria prevails everywhere.

In the dazzling Miaouli Square, young children with their parents, balloons, ornaments and countless doves. On the main street “Victims of Spperchio”, near the beach, almost all the shops have put out tables with drinks, refreshments, kourabies and other treats. They offer children balloons for free. An excellent atmosphere in a town that is rejoicing and participating in the best way in the great celebration of Christianity.

We are trying to complete our tour of Ermoupolis. And I say we are trying, because, as much as it sounds like an exaggeration, the town has so much to show and so much to interest us that it seems endless. So we go up and down alleys with countless steps in picturesque neighborhoods with beautiful houses, we wander through labyrinthine alleys, each of which hides a surprise and then we relax with delightful walks on the wide beach of the harbor. Some lunchtimes find us sitting in one of the small ouzo bars in the harbour, while the evening hours are usually devoted to rest and relaxation, with a coffee and watching the movement of people and ships.

In the vast harbour area we admire the impressive building complex of the Transit Warehouses, in the shape of a blunt corner, with excellent architecture and a total length of 22 metres (!), the work of the architect J. Erlacher in 1834. In its continuation is the equally important customs building, built by the architect Al. The customs office is also a very important part of the building, built by the architect Arch. Georgantas in 1859-61. From this point, the view of the hills of Ermoupolis and Ano Syros is truly magnificent.

At the southern exit of the town, just opposite the PPC station and just a few meters from the sea, a ruined building complex attracts our attention. It is the old tannery of Kaloutas, which in 1894 came into the possession of Ath. In 1894, this is the site of the 18th century. It was a cotton industry before World War II. Its length parallel to the sea is more than 140 meters! All the external walls and some of the internal partitions are preserved, while the roof is completely absent. The walls are polygonal with mortar in the joints and are in some places more than a metre thick. Next to the building, on the seaward side, there is a series of arched openings, which come from another factory and have given the name ‘Arches’ to the area. This impressive ruin is one of the great factories of Ermoupolis, which made it one of the most important industrial centres of the last century.

In the bay of Pedali, opposite the town and at the southern end of the harbour, another impressive building complex stands on a hill overlooking the sea. It is the Purgatory, the famous “Lazaretta”, as it has come to be known. There is probably no traveller who arrived in Syros in the 19th century who did not come across the Purgatory.

Those coming from Turkey, Egypt or other regions suspected of having a cholera epidemic were obliged to stay in the Purgatory for more than seven days for purification.

During the years of the Cretan Revolution of 1866/68, Cretan refugees found refuge there, and from the end of the 19th century a part of it was used as a prison. Although the building is now in ruins, it retains its magnificent architecture, its fine masonry and its arched, red-brick openings. It is the work of a cadet architect, Captain Weiler, and was founded on April 1, 1839.

Apart from Agios Nikolaos, the other churches of Ermoupolis are of great architectural interest. We mention them very briefly starting from Metamorfosi, the present Metropolis, founded on 31 March 1824. The church is inextricably linked to the history of Ermoupolis, since the first inhabitants gathered in its precinct to give their name to the city, while the great teacher of the genus Anthimos Gazis was hospitalized and buried here in 1828.

The church is a three-aisled basilica, built on the model of its contemporary (1823) Panagia of Tinos. Part of the courtyard is covered with a mosaic floor of white, black and red pebbles.

The Assumption of Theotokos is, after the Metamorphosis, the second chronologically the second church of Ermoupolis, built in 1828/29. We discover it in the district of “Psarians”, going up the steps from the port, at the height of the “Aegean Kitchen”. We are welcomed by the nice priest Kostas, who shows us the most precious relic of the church in the porch. It is the priceless icon of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the work of the famous Cretan painter Dominikos Theotokopoulos, created in 1562 before his departure to Venice. The icon was transferred to Syros after the destruction of Psara and was discovered in 1983 by the archaeologist-Byzantinologist George Mastoropoulos. Apart from this monumental icon, there are many other beautiful portable icons, as well as rich decorations. In the past, the columns inside the temple consisted of solid cypress trunks, but in 2000 they were replaced by stainless steel pipes. Only the column supporting the pulpit remains wooden.

The Catholic diocese is Evangelistria, built on the site of an older church in 1829. It is a three-aisled basilica with marble columns bridging the arches and dividing the three aisles. The interior is painted in soft colours and creates a pleasant impression with its symmetry and fine proportions.

We ascend to the hill “Dili”, the highest point of Ermoupolis. At its top is the imposing church of the Resurrection, a symbol of Ermoupolis from afar, just as on the opposite hill the Catholic church of St. George is the symbol of the medieval town of Ano Syros. The church was founded on 30 December 1873 and its architecture is based on carved stones interrupted by serrated bands of bricks. There are frescoes only in the sanctuary and the dome. The wooden iconostasis in neoclassical style is important, with icons dating back to 1867 and 68.

We step for a while into the excellent courtyard with its successive pebbled levels, old cannons and pine trees. Above our heads a stunning blue dome, decorated with spectacular white-grey clouds. All around us, the crystal clear winter atmosphere, giving us images of unparalleled beauty in the spectacle of Ano Syros, Ermoupolis and the pelagic horizon. Such images of crystal clarity can rarely be enjoyed in summer.

BURIAL MONUMENTS OF ERMOUPOLIS

From the very first day we knew that the Cemetery of St. George is for Ermoupolis, and that the A’. Cemetery was for the city of Athens. Our visit was therefore considered imperative.

We are heading towards Ano Syros in the direction of the “Neapolis” district. The tall, marble bell tower of St. George shows us that we are getting closer. The cemetery has been at this location for over 180 years, with the oldest surviving epitaph being the one engraved on the grave of Milionis in 1826. The newer section, dating to the 20th century, is located near the road, while the older section begins on the south side of the church enclosure. All the important personalities who were at the forefront of the creation and prosperity of Ermoupolis rest eternally in this place.

The tombstone inscriptions preserve unique information about the life and activity of these early settlers. They are usually written in katharevousa but sometimes they recall expressions of ancient inscriptions. Very often the decoration is inspired by the occupations of the deceased. Thus, in the tomb of the Chian Fragoulis Taliadouros, who was the first to bring sculpture to Syros, there are reliefs in a circular frame of the sculptor’s basic tools: the bobbin, the matrice and the chisel. A sailboat and design tools adorn the tomb of the shipbuilder Socrates Krystallis, while a Hermes head is carved on the tomb of the Sifnos merchant Nikolaos Karditsis.

Apart from its historical interest, however, the Cemetery of Ermoupolis impresses us with its monuments, which are considered among the best sculptures and architectural works that survive in Greece. As the book “Ermoupolis” states, “each of these monuments has its own form, distinguished by its architectural composition and by its rich and well-crafted sculptural decoration. If one wanted to create a museum of modern funerary monuments, it would not be so easy to collect works of art such as those in the Ermoupolis cemetery. Furthermore, these monuments show the evolution of the funerary monument, as it was shaped in Europe by leading sculptors of the late 18th century”.

Unfortunately, very few works have the artists’ names engraved on them. Many of them have come out of the workshop of C. Only one of them bears his signature. Much more could be written, not only about the cemetery of Syros but also about the multitude of important buildings that survive, public, private and industrial, about painting and sculpture, the industrial museum, the overall economic prosperity and cultural flourishing of the city. Again, however, there would be many shortcomings. We should not, however, omit to mention, even briefly, the “Neorio”, which, a century and a half after its initial operation, is still actively involved in the economic life of the entire island.

The time has come to get to know Neorio, which impresses us with its facilities and giant cranes, but also with the original factory built in 1860. The Administrative Director Aristides Trigonis welcomes us with great courtesy and puts at our disposal a wealth of information about the past and the present.

The forerunner of Neorio was the “Hellenic Shipping”, founded in January 1857, with the main task of carrying out transport services at home and abroad. In order to meet the need for repairs and maintenance of its ships, the steam-powered forge was created in 1861, the only one of its kind. Syros with its factory provided important services to the Cretan Revolution. From its foundries the bullets of the forward guns were manufactured and from its turret the steel rifled guns, a manufacturing miracle for the time. At the same time, new ships were built, a real school for Greek children who wanted to take up shipbuilding and engineering.

At the end of the 19th century, Piraeus became the centre of attention, the Syrian Steamship Company experienced a decline, Neorio became autonomous from it, modernised and expanded, repairing and building many ships, both commercial and warships. The crisis in shipping and competition hit Neorio, during the occupation it was reduced to ruins.

In December 1969, the Goulandris brothers took over the fortunes of the plant. Multiple activities are developed, more than 1600 people are employed, unemployment on the island is reduced to zero, it is the golden age of the shipyard. The global crisis in the shipbuilding industry, nationalisation and indebtedness followed. Syros is in a state of economic and social decline, reminiscent of the 1950s.

Finally, in 1994, Neorio was privatised and transferred to a group of experienced and dynamic businessmen led by Nikolaos Tavoularis. The company’s competitive position was improved, a major investment programme for modernisation and environmental protection was carried out, the Neorio Vocational Training Centre was opened and 415 permanent employees were employed, with an average annual employment of 600 people. The economic and social role of Neorio is becoming important again, not only for Syros but also for the national economy as a whole.

ON THE HILLS OF UPPER SYROS

From a distance, it resembles a giant pyramid-shaped sculpture, its sides covered with staggered – and suffocating – cubes of white and pale yellow. It is Ano Syros with its small – mostly small – houses, crowded at every point of the steep hill, to end up at the top in an impressive fortress structure: the imposing church of St. George, a symbol of the top of the Catholic doctrine in Syros.

Starting from the quarter “Vaporia”, we climb out of Ermoupolis and then turn west towards Ano Syros. From a neck of land, the spectacular view of the settlement with the impressive eastern side of St. George is revealed in front of us, which at this point is fortified with a high wall. We leave our car in the limited parking area and enter through the “Kamara”, one of the seven old entrances of the settlement. We begin to enjoy our hiking tour, free from the noises and the presence of wheeled vehicles. The paths are narrow, labyrinthine, paved with stones or a combination of stones and marble slabs, whitewashed and spotless. There are steps everywhere, but also many covered passages, the ‘steadia’. Small houses stuck next to each other form the characteristic fortification of medieval settlements, which developed in or around a castle.

The urban image on the rocky hills of Ano Syros, where every square metre of land is precious, differs completely from the simple building fabric – mainly in the coastal part – of Ermoupolis and the volume of its houses, which seem huge compared to those of Ano Syros. A genesis of modern times, with the tendencies of classicism at their peak on one side and a distant memory of the Middle Ages on the other. It was a small and unremarkable settlement, Mesovouni, protected not by a castle but by the high walls of the outlying houses and on the west side by the steep cliff. For the entrance there were 7 gates, the “Portares”, which were closed at sunset for safety. Latecomers were warned by the tolling of a bell. According to all indications, the settlement in Mesovouni existed before the Frankish conquest, since the church of St. George, which was upgraded by the conquerors to a Latin cathedral, is older than 1207.

In this protected area, the residents from various parts of the West settled during the Latin occupation and those who had remained on the island from earlier times. The first available information on the population of the settlement in the 15th century is tiny: 200 inhabitants in 1470, 400 in 1494. In 1635-38, however, 2-3,000 Catholics and 100 Orthodox are mentioned.

In the centuries that followed, the population composition of the two communities did not change substantially until after the beginning of the Revolution of 21, when Orthodox refugees began to settle in Syros in waves. In the long coexistence of the two communities, there was no lack of conflicts and problems, none of which are visible in modern reality.

Daily life in Ano Syros continues to flow at a calm and humane pace. Cars and noises cannot penetrate the steps and alleys, they have remained outside the “Portares”. People use – as always – their feet.

For transporting materials or goods to the shops the traditional means of transport are the nice four-legged animals. At last, we can remember the innocent past when, in order to cross a road, we didn’t have to look back in case a car hit us.

From “Kamara” we first walk along the main road, “Piatsa”, which cuts across the settlement and is always considered the centre of the market. Don’t imagine a highway. The width of the paved alleyway barely exceeds two metres in some places. We make room for a mule to pass, loaded with the supplies ordered by the small grocery store, renamed mini-market. At one time there were seven cafes lined up in Piazza. Today there is only one left, the “Up Country”. Small and nice, with marble tables and old photos on the walls. The few elderly patrons return our greeting with courtesy. We drink our Greek coffee and enjoy the nice view, even from inside. In summer from the veranda the horizon must be magnificent.

Next to the little café is the “Vamvakaris Museum”, a well-kept place with bright windows and a nice view of Ano Syros, Ermoupolis and the sea. The music and songs of the legendary rebet, born in 1905 in Ano Syros, accompany us nostalgically, while we browse the various exhibits related to his personal life and the abundant photos on the walls. But Markos’ neighbours were not content with just the museum. They honoured the composer of the famous “Fragosyrian” by naming a tiny plaza next door after him and adorning it with his bust.

Just above the café a small shop has its door open. Without hesitation we enter inside. Sitting in a chair a pleasant old man seems to be ruminating. Around him is the familiar and picturesque clutter of the carpenter’s shop and at the same time the basket weaving workshop. At our view the man is animated and greets us cheerfully.

– Make yourselves comfortable where you can. Come, let’s have a cigarette and tell me what good wind brings you from our land.

Born in 1915 in Gallisas, George Roussos has been doing the job of a chair-maker for half a century. Countless tools all around him, chairs and baskets of various sizes, upright bending rods leaning on one end, essential raw material for his baskets.

-Still working, George?

-Hey, when the weather’s nice, I come down here for a while and weave a basket or two. So I don’t forget the art.

Climbing a few steps we arrive at the Town Hall of Ano Syros, which does not and could not have – in the limited space of the old town – the grandeur and dimensions of the Town Hall of Ermoupolis. It is a typical house adapted to the needs of the service it houses. But here it is much easier to see the Mayor and to talk to him, you don’t have to go through long corridors and vestibules.

We continue our leisurely wanderings.

Houses are white, some with ochre tones and blue orange windows. Some are in muted shades of pile, quite a common colour in Ano Syros and Ermoupolis. Some, very few, are dilapidated. Yards with space and soil comfort are almost non-existent. Households’ love of flowers finds refuge only in tiny balconies and pots outside the houses. Above George’s is the tavern of “Lili”, unfortunately closed today. We turn left towards Aghios Ioannis, the second – after Aghios Georgios – in importance and antiquity church of old Syros. The Episcopal see was moved here in 1617 and remained here until the transfer of the church in 1635 to the Capuchins. It shows the bell tower of the monastery. Below it passes the Heroon Street, a covered passage of about 20 metres, in the bowels of the ochre-painted monastery, which is closed.

With our escort Peggy Stergiou we visit the Panagia tou Carmelou, an important milestone in the history of which was the year 1639, when the bishop’s throne was transferred to its small sanctuary. Today the Clarissa Sisters Capuchins, of the order of the same name founded in the 13th century by St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, reside here. We have the experience of a short but sweet conversation with one of the Carissa Sisters.

Our steps lead us through labyrinthine alleys to the chapel of St. Anthony and then to the church of St. Stephen. Beautiful corners, new images at every turn, openings with views, a wonderful winter weather, ideal for touring and getting to know a place. In the summer, with the hot weather, much of this touristic mood shrinks or is transferred to the island’s beaches.

A stone bell tower with a delicate silhouette stands out among the houses. It belongs to St. Nicholas of the “Poor”, an Orthodox church named after the magnificent church of St. Nicholas of Ermoupolis. The church is stone built, originally built in 1686 and renovated in 1763. The domes of Panagia tou Carmelou and St. George tower higher.

Following the winding and successive steps of St. George’s Street, we reach in a few minutes the imposing church, at the top of the old town. From the outside the church impresses us with its volume and its fortress construction. According to the monograph by M. N. Roussos-Milidoni (16), the time of the construction of the first temple cannot be determined precisely, because the records in the bishop’s residence were cremated during the invasion of Kapudan Pasha in 1617. At that time, Bishop John Andrew Kargas was also hanged. During the fundamental reconstruction of the church in 1832/34, an inscription with Greek and Latin letters was found, certifying the renovation of the church in 1200. This means that the temple was built earlier. Very important are the icons of St. George and the “Virgin Mother of St. Hope”. The walls are adorned with frescoes by the Italian Joseph Tammi from 1896, depicting the 4 Evangelists and the prophets Daniel, Jeremiah and Jonah.

We know that with this brief description of the Ansarrian state we have not exhausted all its interests. There is also the Orthodox church of the Holy Trinity of 1604, the bronze bust of the most prominent of the Syrians, the philosopher Ferenodis, who lived in the 6th century BC and was a student of Pittacus and teacher of Pythagoras, the bronze bust of the literary artist Velissarios Freris, the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Ano Syros. We come out of the church of St. George with the feeling that we have got to know an important part of this wonderful place. Already a nice weather invites us for a visit to Ano Meria.

IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

During our long stay in Syros, we visited many sites on the island. In this article we will very briefly mention two settlements: ‘San Michalis’ and ‘Posidonia’, the well-known ‘Delagratsias’ of Vamvakaris. Their choice was not accidental. Apart from their diametrically opposed geographical location – at the northernmost and southernmost respective ends of the island – they represent two completely different aspects of Syros: tiny, mountainous and almost uninhabited San Michalis, lowland, sprawling and stately Delagratia.

We meet San Michalis at the end of the northern part of the island, after a fascinating mountainous route, where the severity of the Cycladic landscape is decorated by the ornate terraces with dry stone walls. They resemble the work of experienced stone masons more than the product of years of toil and necessity of the workers of the land. The beauty of these “stony” hills, gentle or steep, as they unfold before our eyes, is complemented by the sea horizon, dotted with the outlines of Paros and Naxos, Mykonos and Delos, Tinos, which is so close by, Andros with its snow-white mountains and even Gyaros, Tzia, the coast of southern Evia and, further west, Kythnos. Most of the Cyclades are around us.

The heart of the small and almost deserted settlement of San Michalis beats in “Plakostroto”, a surprising little taverna. Its little tables overlook from above a magnificent sunset, all over the north and north-western horizon and below the historically and archaeologically important cove “Gramma”.

The quality of the tavern rival its privileged location. After three years in the boats, Nikos Paleologos “settled” in San Michalis and offers goat on oilcloth, pork with fennel, rabbit with rosemary and a surprising variety of appetizers and meatballs. Top notch flavours, wonderful service and very friendly prices. A true surprise of high professionalism in the wilderness of Ano Meria, just 20 minutes from the centre of Ermoupolis.

Every Greek, with elementary tastes of good rebetiko, has heard the name Delagratsias in Vamvakaris’ “Fragosiriani”. What is impossible to imagine is the aura of nobility and grandeur that this settlement still emanates, from the mid-19th century to the present day.

It began as a holiday resort on the sea and it was not long before it became the centre of wealth, luxury and, why not, competition and showmanship. As stated (17), ‘here the classic Syrian style has been abandoned and the villas are reminiscent of Kifissia country houses. Many use porolith and malted stone, which is said to have arrived by ship from Malta directly to the bay of Posidonia’.

Suddenly the sun disappears, the weather cools down. We are not surprised by the sudden change, it is winter. As we walk along the main road, which crosses Delagratsa to the SE, we pass a humble little café-tavern with the resounding and – probably mocking – name “Kyvernion”. Music can be heard from inside. We approach. A guitar, a bouzouki, a large group of locals join their voices in old and nostalgic songs.

There’s no shortage of Vamvarkaris. We settle among them as self-appointed members of the impromptu choir. The lovely Adrianna brings us wine, meatballs, Syrian sausage and louza (pork fillet in the sun with spices).

Outside, night falls, it’s raining hard, but the patrons of the tavern don’t care. Tomorrow is Christmas morning.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

-A.Th. Drakaki, “HISTORY OF THE HOMELAND OF HERBOPOLOS, VOLUME A-VOLUME B, republished SYROS 2000.

-T.D. Abelas, “HISTORY OF SYROS ISLAND”, En Ermoupolei 1874, ed. T.E. T.E., T.E., T.E., Ed. Kalimeris 1998.

-Ι. Traylou-A. I. HELLENIC BANK OF GREECE, Athens 1980.

– “ERMOUPOLI-SYROS”, Historical Travelogue, Demot. “Historical Museum, Historical Museum, Historical Museum of Greece”. Ermoupolis Development, 2nd edition, “OLKOS” 2000.

-M.N. Roussou-Milidoni, “SYRA SACRA, Religious History of Syros”, K.K.E.E.D.E. Athens 1993.

-M.N. Roussou-Milidoni, ‘The Cathedral of St. George’, Ano Syros 2001.

-Manou Eleftheriou, “Ermoupolis. A city in literature”, Metaixmio 2003.

Warm thanks to:

-The Mayors of Ermoupolis, Ano Syros and Posidonia for the support of our work.

-The Hotel SYROS MELATHRON for its wonderful hospitality.

-The Travel and Car Rental Agency “VASILIKOS”.

-PEGKY STARGIOU (Communication Department of the Cyclades Chamber of Commerce).

-MARIA KAPARI from the Museum of Cycladic Art and Eirini DECAVALLA from the Municipal Library.

-PAKI VAFEIADI

-Finally, the Syros Lawyer CHRISTOS KALIMERI for the kindly dispatch of the monumental “HISTORY OF SYROS ISLAND” by Timoleon Abelas, exhausted from years.