Syros Περιφερειακή ενότητα Σύρου Δήμος Σύρου-Ερμούπολης | |
|---|---|
 Ermoupoli and Ano Syros | |
 Syros within the South Aegean | |
  Syros | |
| Coordinates:37°26′N24°55′E / 37.433°N 24.917°E /37.433; 24.917 | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | South Aegean |
| Seat | Ermoupoli |
| Area | |
• Municipality | 101.9 km2 (39.3 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
• Municipality | 21,124 |
| • Density | 207.3/km2 (536.9/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | 841 xx |
| Area code | 228x0 |
| Vehicle registration | EM |
Syros (Greek:Σύρος[ˈsiros]), also known asSiros orSyra, is aGreek island in theCyclades, in theAegean Sea. It is 78 nautical miles (144 km) south-east ofAthens. The area of the island is 83.6 km2 (32 sq mi) and at the 2021 census it had 21,124 inhabitants.[1]
The largest towns areErmoupoli,Ano Syros, andVari [el]. Ermoupoli is the capital of the island, theCyclades, and theSouth Aegean. It has always been a significant port town, and during the 19th century it was even more significant thanPiraeus. Other villages are Galissas, Foinikas, Pagos, Manna, Kini,Azolimnos andPoseidonia.
Ermoupoli (Greek:Ερμούπολη) stands on a naturallyamphitheatrical site, with neo-classical buildings, old mansions, and white houses cascading down to the harbour. It was built during theGreek War of Independence in the 1820s.
The city hall is in the center of the town, in Miaoulis Square, ringed with cafés, seating areas, and palm trees. Dubbed the "City ofHermes", Syros has numerous churches, such as Metamorphosis, Koimisis,St. Demetrius, Three Hierarchs, Anastasis, Evangelistria, and St. Nicolas. There is an archaeological museum and a municipal library.
The quarter ofVaporia is where sea captains traditionally lived. There are numerousneo-classical mansions along the quarter's narrow streets.
Ano Syros is the second town of Syros and was built by theVenetians at the beginning of the 13th century on the hill of San Giorgio, north-west ofErmoupoli. Ano Syros maintains amedieval atmosphere. Innumerable steps between narrow streets and houses with coloured doors lead to the top of the town. The medieval settlement of Ano Syros is accessible by car; the town is served mostly bymarble steps. The distance from the harbour up to the main entry point of the town is about 1000 metres. TheCatholiccathedral of Saint George dominates Ano Syros. The cathedral church was constructed during the 13th century. From the cathedral visitors have apanoramic view of the neighbouringislands ofTinos,Delos,Mykonos,Paros,Andros andNaxos.
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The history of settlement on Syros goes back at least 5,000 years, to theEarly Bronze Age of theCycladic civilization. This is when the hill-top settlement ofKastri [el;la] began. Archaeologists describe Early Cycladic III (ECIII) culture asKastri culture. It had links with the Anatolian Trade Network, connected withLimantepe in Asia Minor.
Kastri, dated by archaeologists to 2800-2300 BC, was one of the earliest settlements in Greece that were protected by stone walls with rounded bastions. Also the cemetery ofChalandriani is associated with Kastri. Inside the fortification, the houses shared party walls and were packed close together. It is estimated that the fortified town was home to up to 300 people.
The site was first discovered and excavated in 1898 byChristos Tsountas, the "father of Cycladic research". Kastri had some of the earliest metalwork in the region, and also some of the earliest use ofpotter's wheel.
Throughout history, the island was known as Syra (Ancient Greek:Σύρα),[2] then Syros or Siros (Σῦρος). In later times, it appears to have been inhabited by thePhoenicians. In theOdyssey, Syros was the country of theswineherdEumaeus who described it at length (Odyssey, XV, 403 sq.), although it has also been suggested that Eumaeus referred toSyracuse, Sicily.[3]
The island was also the home of thephilosopherPherecydes, the teacher ofPythagoras. It possessed two leading cities,Syros (now the modernErmoupoli) and another city (Galessus) on the western coast whereGalissas now stands.
The island did not play an important role duringantiquity or the earlyChristian years.[citation needed] It was not even a diocese at a time when even the smallest island possessed its bishop. DuringRoman times, the capital of Syros was situated in the area of contemporaryErmoupoli.
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At the end of ancient times,barbarian raids andpiracy, which affected theAegean for many centuries, led Syros to decline. The island, along with the other Cyclades, was devastated several times during the Middle Ages by raiders from different directions includingSicilians,Arabs,Turks andVenetians.
In theByzantine years Syros constituted part of theTheme of the Aegean Sea, along with the rest of the Cycladic islands. After the overthrow of Byzantium in theFourth Crusade by the Venetians and Franks in 1204, the island was definitively conquered by the Venetians under the leadership ofMarco Sanudo. As part of theDuchy of the Archipelago, Syros would remain under Venetian rule until 1566 although after 1540 this was only maintained by payment of tribute to the Ottoman Sultan.[4]
It was at this time thatAno Syros was founded. During theLatin period, the majority of the local community wereRoman Catholics, but maintained theGreek language. During the reign of almost three and a half centuries of the Duchy of the Archipelago, Syros had a singularfeudal regime.
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By the 16th century, theOttoman fleet became dominant in the Aegean and the Duchy fell apart. In 1522 thecorsairBarbarossa took possession of the island, which would be known as "Sire" during Ottoman rule.[5] However, negotiations of the local authorities with the Ottomans gave theCyclades substantial privileges, such asreligious freedom and the reduction oftaxes.
At the same time, following an agreement of France and theHoly See with the Ottoman authorities, the Catholics of the island came under the protection of France and Rome[citation needed] and so Syros sometimes was called "the Pope's island".
TheRoman Catholic diocese of Syros was a Latin diocese,suffragan ofNaxos. The Venetians had established there a Latin bishopric which was subject to theLatin Archbishopric of Athens until 1525. From the time of the island's occupation by the Turks in the 16th century, the Greeks established an Orthodoxmetropolitan on Syros: Joseph[6] is the earliest known, along with Symeon who died in 1594[7] and Ignatius in 1596.[8] The island became for the most part Catholic.[9]
The list oftitular bishops may be found inLe Quien[10] and inEubel.[11] The most celebrated among them isIoannis Andreas Kargas, whom the Turks strangled in 1617 because he refused to convert toIslam and because he was helping Greek revolutionaries hiding on the island.[12]
After the second half of the 17th century, a period of economic recovery of the Aegean began, climaxing during the transition from the 18th to the 19th century. The special regime of the islands allowed the development of local self-government. The decline ofpiracy since the beginning of the 19th century led to the gradual liberation of the sea routes of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Due to its crucial geographical position, Syros became known as a maritime way-point. Moreover, the special social, religious and institutional conditions prevailing on the island, led Syriots to neutrality at the beginning of theGreek Revolution in 1821. As a result, Syros became a secure shelter during the Revolution, attracting many Greek refugees fromAsia Minor,Chios,Spetses,Psara,Aivali,Smyrna,Kydonia,Kassos and other places.These refugees built Ermoupoli.
In 1827 Syros became part of the newly foundedFirst Hellenic Republic and later (1834) the Greek Kingdom. The island returned to peace and tranquility, Syros became known as a cross-road in theAegean and as an international commercial center linkingWestern Europe and the Mediterranean sea to the East. The construction of the first buildings began in 1822, and in 1824 the first Orthodox Church Metamorphosis and the largest Greeksanatorium was constructed.
Because of the Venetian domination from theMiddle Ages onwards, the islanders had aRoman Catholic majority. However, due to immigration from other islands, Catholics now constitute some 47% of the population. The majority of the population areGreek Orthodox. Intermarriage between Churches is very common in Syros. There is also a single parish of the Byzantine Greek Catholic Church.
During 1831 Syros played a prominent role in the elaboration of the newGreek Constitution. UnderIoannis Kapodistrias (Giovanni Capo D'Istria), the first Governor of the new state, the population of Ermoupolis had reached 13,805 residents and the city had evolved into a seat of government.
It had a Commercial Court of Law, a post office (one of the first in Greece), insurance brokerages, the first public school, a branch of theNational Bank of Greece, art gallery, museum, library, a social club for theelite society etc. However, in 1854cholera and a series of other epidemics plunged Syros into mourning. A number ofcharitable institutions for public health and social services were established during this period: orphanages, poorhouses and a mental hospital.
Newcomers, mainlymariners and tradesmen, gave the island a new dynamic, which along with its demographic and economic development, turned it into an administrative and cultural centre. Newcomers flocked to the island and founded the town of Ermoupoli, which rapidly became the leading port of Greece.
Between 1822 and 1865, Ermoupoli was rebuilt in aNeoclassical style, mergingGreek Classicism with elements of theRenaissance. Many landmarks such as the City Hall (designed by the German architectErnst Ziller), theApollo Theatre by the Italian architectPietro Campo (a miniature version of theLa Scala inMilan), the main Library, the General Hospital of Syros (Vardakeio-Proio), Miaoulis square and other buildings were built during that period of time. Passing through on 6 April 1864, the effect of all the sugary marble is such that the English artistEdward Lear, refers to the town fondly in his diary as "the old sparkly pile".[13]
The European architects (mainlyGermans andItalians) and also Greeks who participated in the design and planning of Ermoupolis respected the classical and ancient Greek architecture and harmonized it with theromanticism of the West.Ermoupoli has a high density of neoclassical architecture. The prosperity of Syros was connected with the development of social and cultural life. The evolutionary cycle was completed with the creation of the first industrial units during the decade of 1860–70.
Most public buildings, churches, schools, stadiums and many mansions were built in the same elegant and neoclassical style, making Ermoupoli at the time a very modern city with a unique character. As a result, Syros changed almost overnight from a rather quiet island into a vigorous centre of crafts, industry and production.[14] Also, due to its large port ofErmoupoli, it turned into a major centre for ship building and refitting.Neorion was the firstshipyard of Greece. To this very day, it remains a place where many ships are serviced and refitted.
Since 1830 the commerce of fabrics, silk, ship building, leather and iron developed on Syros and at the same time a powerful banking system was created. The tremendous growth and development of Ermoupolis continued and until 1860 Syros was the most important commercial harbour in Greece. Together with commerce and ship building, construction and public works were also developed. TheGreek Steamship Company was founded in 1856.
A period of decline then followed, as sailing gave way to steam, the importance of the geographical situation of the island was reduced andPiraeus harbour finally took the predominant position in Greece - with the competition ofPatras also reducing Syros' commercial importance.
Beginning at the end of the 19th century and for several decades, a temporary economic recovery took place, due to the development of thetextile industry ("Foustanos-Karellas-Velissaropoulos & Co").
As a result of the imperial ambitions and fascist ideology of Benito Mussolini's Italy, which invaded and occupied Syros during World War II, the island's inhabitants experienced a devastating famine causing thousands of deaths.[15]
TheSecond World War reduced Syros' economic development, as was the case for every economic centre in Greece. However, already since the 1980s, along with the generalized economic recovery and the rise of theliving standards in Greece, elements of improvement appeared withtourism as its central axis. At the same time, the re-opening of theNeorionshipyards, as well as a number of other activities, indicate that Syros is on an upward trend.
Ermoupoli today has 7 elementary schools, 2 junior high schools, 2 high schools, 2 technical schools and theAegean University with a department ofFine Arts and system design, with a proposed future addition inApplied Arts andVisual Arts. TheSyros Island National Airport, the Aegeancasino, the frequent passenger boattransportation system and all other modernamenities help to attract many domestic and foreign tourists to the island all year round.
Syros also has a Britishcemetery where various people are buried, including many seamen and servicemen who died in the Cyclades region, particularly during the Second World War. The numerousconsulates of countries such as France, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries bear witness to the connection of Syros with the wider European scene.
Syros is a separateregional unit of theSouth Aegean region. The onlymunicipality of the regional unit is Syros-Ermoupoli. As a part of the2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Syros was created out of part of the formerCyclades Prefecture. At the same reform, the municipality Syros-Ermoupoli was created out of the 3 former municipalities:[16]
The municipality also includes the uninhabited islandGyaros and several other islets. The total area of the municipality is 101.90 km2 (39 sq mi).[17]
The province of Syros (Greek:Επαρχία Σύρου) was one of theprovinces of the Cyclades Prefecture. Its territory corresponded with that of the current regional units Syros andMykonos.[18] It was abolished in 2006.
As in the rest of Greece, Syros hasEastern Orthodox churches.Metamorphosis is the most important Orthodox church on the island,Kimisis tis Theotokou is also significant and noted for the fact that it hosts a masterpiece by painterEl Greco.[19] There is also an equal number ofCatholic Church buildings on the island and some entirely Catholic villages; thus, it is one of the most significant places for theCatholic Church in Greece.[19] Syros is one of a few places where Catholics and Orthodox share a common date forEaster, which in Syros' case, is theOrthodox date.[20]
TheCatholic diocese numbers 9000 worshippers, 21secular priests and 8 regulars, 7parishes, 7 churches with a resident priest, 3 without a priest, and 57chapels. TheCapuchins andJesuits each have an establishment; theSisters of Charity, 2 houses, one of which is a hospital; theSisters of St Joseph of the Apparition have a boarding school and St George, a De La Salle Public School.
There is also a single church of theGreek Byzantine Catholic Church which is not part of the diocese but subject to the Byzantine Exarchate of Greece.
Local specialities of the island include:
The Syros Island National Airport "Dimitrios Vikelas" is the only airport on the island, located 3,5 kilometers southeast ofErmoupoli. It was established in 1991 and it is named after the Greek businessman and writerDimitrios Vikelas, who was born in Ermoupoli. The airport operates direct flights toAthens all year round, and seasonally toThessaloniki as well.[21][22]
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Only in a handful of places do Easter celebrants alter their own arrangements to take account of their neighbours. Finland's Orthodox Christians mark Easter on the Western date. And on the Greek island of Syros, a Papist stronghold, Catholics and Orthodox alike march to Orthodox time. The spectacular public commemorations, involving flower-strewn funeral biers on Good Friday and fireworks on Saturday night, bring the islanders together, rather than highlighting division.
| Regional unit ofAndros |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Regional unit ofKalymnos | ||
| Regional unit ofKarpathos-Kasos | ||
| Regional unit ofKea-Kythnos | ||
| Regional unit ofKos | ||
| Regional unit ofMilos | ||
| Regional unit ofMykonos | ||
| Regional unit ofNaxos | ||
| Regional unit ofParos | ||
| Regional unit ofRhodes | ||
| Regional unit ofSyros | ||
| Regional unit ofThira | ||
| Regional unit ofTinos | ||
| ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
