| Exomvourgo | |
|---|---|
| Exobourgo, Xobourgo | |
 Exomvourgo in 2010 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 641 m[1] |
| Coordinates | 37°34′38″N25°10′3″E / 37.57722°N 25.16750°E /37.57722; 25.16750[2] |
| Geography | |
  Exomvourgo Location within Greece | |
| Location | Tinos |
Exomvourgo orExobourgo (Greek:Εξώμβουργο/Εξώμπουργκο,pronounced[eˈksomvurɣo]/[eˈksoburɡo]) is a mountain on the island ofTinos. Unlike the other mountains in theCyclades,[3] it has a rugged appearance and is the site of a ruinedVenetian fortress and town.
Exomvourgo is not the highest mountain on the island—that isTsiknias—but is in a central location ringed by many small villages such asTripotamos andFalatados and can be climbed from several of these. The walk up fromIera Kardia Iisou takes around 20 minutes. The formerExomvourgos municipality shares its name with the mountain.
Remains dating from theCopper Age have been found near Exomvourgo[4] andGeometric period and5-6th century BC remains have been found at archaeological excavations at the mountain's southern foot[5] including a temple ofDemeter.[6] A large wall from anIonian town dating from 1100 BC is sited southwest of Exomvourgo.[4][7] In the fourth century BC the island's administrative centre moved back from Exomvourgo to the coast.[7]
UnderByzantine rule a fortress, later named by the VenetiansCastello di Santa Elena after a chapel on the summit, was built on the mountain and Exomvourgo functioned as the island's capital.[7][8]
The mountain was the site of a fortress and town functioning as the administrative centre of the island from 1207 when the island, along withAndros,Skiathos,Skopelos andSkyros became afiefdom of the Venetian brothers Jeremie and Andre Ghisi following the partition of the Byzantine Empire after the fall ofConstantinople during theFourth Crusade.[9]
In 1390, after the death of Batholomew III Ghisi,[10]1 theVenetian Republic assumed direct control and further fortified the mountain.[11] The island fell to theOttoman admiralHayreddin Barbarossa in 1537 but was recaptured by the Venetians in 1538.[10] The fortress was then further expanded until it featured 600 m longramparts and towers facing in all directions. In this era the town inside the castle had a population of 1000-2000 and contained 677 houses, 5 churches and some storage areas andreservoirs.[8]
In 1570 a force of 8,000 Ottoman troops and several cannons, commanded byCanum Pasha, besieged the mountain, but were successfully repulsed. Further failed attempts to capture the fortress were made in 1655, 1658, 1661, and 1684.[7][9]By 1700 the fortifications were not in a good state and the fortress was only manned by 14 soldiers.[12]The Venetians remained in charge until 1715 during thelast Ottoman–Venetian war when, long after the rest of the Cyclades had fallen to the Turks, it was besieged by a Turkish force of 65warships and 74transports carrying 25,000 soldiers. Despite the fortress being regarded as unconquerable[9] and seeming secure against the invaders the commander of the fortress negotiated terms and surrendered. The terms allowed all the Venetians on the island to leave with the Greeks forced to stay.[12] The commander and his officers were accused of "treason afterbribery" by the Venetian Republic and sentenced to death by swallowing liquid silver[13]/having liquid silver poured on their bodies[12]Bernardo Balbi the rector (governor) of the island, was transferred to Venice and sentenced to life imprisonment for cowardice. The Ottomans almost completely dismantled the fortress and the town inside it within a period of 3 days.[8][9]
The town on the mountain was previously known as Tinos (Tine orTino to the Venetians) with the current town ofTinos previously known as San Nicolò.[9] The name Exomvourgo derives from theGreekexo apo to bourgo meaning "outside theburg".[14]
The church ofIera Kardia Iisou (Sacred Heart of Jesus) is on the slopes of the mountain, it is now aCatholicmonastery.The church has a complicated history: originally the Cathedral ofSaint Sofia stood within the walls of the fortress but after its destruction theJesuit monks moved into a small church outside the walls and began to build a larger church next door. This was finished in 1725 and also dedicated to Saint Sofia. The Jesuits later left the church and it fell into disrepair. In 1895 the church was restored and renamed the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Today the church is a site ofpilgrimage and hosts visitors from around the world.[10][15]
At the central part stands out the historical steep rock of Exombourgo with 641 m altitude
