A journey through time

A journey through time

ANDROS KEA TINOS SYROS MYKONOS KYTHNOS DILOS Decision Center SERIFOS PAROS SIFNOS ANTIPAROS NAXOS DONOYSA AMORGOS Cycladic Complex MILOS KIMOLOS SIKINOS IOS FOLEGANDROS THIRA ANAFI 0 100 200 km 0 25 km 50

Three major characteristics of insular arid and semi-arid regions 1. Relative isolation from the mainland population & communities; looser cultural and economic ties 2. Administrative fragmentation and reliance on external governance 3. Small/limited size of both water and population catchments Emigration to more prosperous regions Abandonment of traditional activities, often in favor of tourism Medium to severe water shortages, exacerbated by extreme intra-annual population fluctuations

Established permanent population on the island Short distance to Athens Many second homes Regional administrative center Established port-to-port trade and communication Local industry Contributes to permanent population Technological know-how for subsequent use of desalination Neorion shipyard Syros and Malta are the only two Mediterranean islands to develop desalination for drinking water to such an extent

A brief historical overview

First inhabitants Archaeological findings confirm habitation in prehistoric times (3 rd milennium BC) Chalandriani - A great number of ancient graves Kastri fortified settlement with significant commercial activity 2000-1000 BC Consecutive changes in dominance Phoenicians, Minoans, Myceneans, Ions Roman times The capital of the island was situated in the location of modern-day Hermoupolis A prosperous town, allied with the City-State of Athens Largely abandoned at the end of the Roman period due to repeated pirate attacks Cycladic art Female figurine from the Cycladic period (3000 BC-2000 BC)

Kastri area: fortified settlement and ornamental art

Ferekides was a philosopher and poet that was born in Syros He is mentioned also as the teacher of Pythagoras A cave in Syros was the place were he could withdraw It is remarkable that from the entrance of the cave, one can see the sacred island Dilos (6 th century B.C.) Halandriani (Ferekides cave)

During the Byzantine Empire era, Syros was part of the Aegean Dominion In 1204, Byzantium was overthrown by the Franks, and Syros came under Venetian rule for 350 years (Ducat of the Aegean) The medieval settlement of Ano Syros was built on the hillside of San Giorgio, overlooking the current location of Hermoupolis, for protection from Pirates The majority of inhabitants were Roman Catholic, while maintaining use of the Greek language

Syros Old copper gravure In the mid-16th century, the Ottoman fleet took over Syros Thanks to the influence of France and the Vatican, an agreement is made in 1579, granting significant privileges to the Cycladic islands Reduced taxation Religious freedom In 1617 the Ottoman fleet sacked the island Less than 3,000 inhabitants from the 16th to the 18th century Following the end of the Ottoman-Venetian war, Syros became a maritime waypoint

Protected by France, and with limited to no involvement, Syros maintained neutrality during the Greek War of Independence Considered a safe haven for many Greek Orthodox refugees from Asia Minor and the Aegean Islands Influx of merchants and sailors, especially from Chios, who made Syros their new home and the hub of their activities Founding of Hermoupolis, named after Hermes (Mercury), Ancient god of merchants, built around the natural port of the island Eugene Delacroix The Massacre at Chios

Industrial, Economic and Cultural growth

The port of Hermoupolis became a major commercial hub in the eastern Mediterranean Prime location in the centre of the Aegean sea, a crossroad between the East and West Short distance from the mainland Large port with favorable weather and sea conditions Two-thirds of the newly-formed Greek nation s imports were processed by the customs offices in Hermoupolis To accommodate the rapidly developing commercial activities, a banking system was created and insurance brokerages were founded on the island The town of Hermoupolis expanded rapidly, built in the neoclassical style

The town grew to nearly 14,000 inhabitants in the early 1830s, and became a seat of government Major population losses in the 1854 cholera epidemic, followed by recovery in the subsequent rapid industrialization phase As a result of the epidemic, a number of charitable institutions for public health and social services were founded orphanages, poorhouses, mental hospital The Global Financial Crises of the 19 th century and the Crimean war affected development; nevertheless, in 1845 Hermoupolis is first among Greek ports, concentrating 45,4% of the total Greek merchant marine fleet capacity

A number of landmark buildings Romantic classicism The City Hall, designed by German architect Ernst Ziller The Apollon theatre, a miniature of the Milan opera house La Scala, designed by Italian architect Pietro Sampo The courthouse The municipal library, the archaeological museum, an art gallery, and even a social club, were also among the many new additions to the island Numerous orthodox and catholic churches

Home to the first Public high school of modern Greece, built in Hermoupolis Organized theatrical stage in modern Greece Public hospital in Greece, the General Hospital of Syros The people of Syros enjoyed a lifestyle far superior to that in the majority of Greece

During the period 1840-1860, some very important architects, as P. Sampo and J. Erlacher combined the Classicism with the Romanism and created the Neo-classical Architecture of Hermoupolis

Capuchin monastery: built in 1635 Ano Syros: A medieval settlement built on rocks The cathedral of Saint George in Ano Syros(baroque style) Church of the Annunciation: famous for housing one of the masterpieces of religious art made by El Greco (1562)

The most impressive buildings are located to Hermoupolis and Ano Syros In Ano Syros housing is dense and is developed into a circular layout with paved narrow streets (Medieval and Venetian tradition) In Hermoupolis, the first buildings (1922-1935) combine the traditional urban architecture from the different immigrants areas with influences, later, by the classicism

The continuous passage of sailors and merchants, in combination with poverty and the social conditions at the time, encouraged the development of the equivalent of a red light district in the outskirts of town, home to marginalized groups Located near the hospital, which in the 19 th century treated mostly cases associated with sexually transmitted and waterborne diseases To cover the demand, women were brought to Syros from the mainland and other islands, as well as Asia Minor and North Africa At the same time, child labor was a fact of life; children were employed in the developing industrial sector and as servants in wealthy households

Steam technology was rapidly adopted on the island In 1856, the Greek Steamship Company, Neorion was founded Initially a maintenance and repair station; the accumulating know-how and craftsmanship led to the construction of a steam-operated ironworks factory in 1861 The first of its kind in the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East The first steam-operated mechanized tanneries operate in the industrial area near the port The tanneries of Syros became known as the best in the eastern world A steam-operated flour mill began operation in 1861

By 1867, there were 22 steam-operated factories in the whole of Greece 8 of which were located in Syros, by far the greatest concentration of industrial units in the country In the second half of the century, several new industrial and processing units were built and operated in Syros In addition, the textiles industry began developing in the 1870s; by the turn of the century, Syros was called the Manchester of Greece The textiles industry, due to ties with the west and particularly Manchester, was one of the few to survive the currency and financial crisis of the 1880s, which led to the closure of the majority of the Syros factories The first workers strike in Greece took place in Syros, affecting tanneries and the shipyard

As sailing gave way to steam-operated boats, reliance on stop-over stations was gradually decreased Steam trains and railroad expansions made overland shipping and travel both faster and safer The importance of the Port of Piraeus continuously increased, taking over from Syros The opening of the Corinth Canal in 1882 marked the beginning of the end for the Golden Age of Syros, by providing a more direct route to the west

Syros remained a prosperous island for decades The shipyard and textiles industry remained fully active and continued to contribute to the economic development Immigration from the coast of Asia Minor (1922) brought 8000 people to Syros However, low wages discouraged residents, and a stream of emigration began, mostly towards Athens and Piraeus The 1929 financial crisis severely affected the local economy

The Second World War resulted in severe casualties and significant infrastructure damages The post-war era marked dramatic changes in the local economy Within 20 years the majority of the factories had ceased operation, and 20% of the population had emigrated The negative trend continued well into the 1980s by 1990, the last of the textile units had closed down Failure to modernize equipment, processes and techniques Inability to compete with rival factories Increasing development of industry in Athens

Built and launched the first cargo ship made of metal in Greece Successfully rivaled Piraeus in heavy construction well into the 20 th century Modernized in 1969 after being bought by a shipping magnate family Following a series of financial losses, in 1979 it passed to the control of creditor banks, until 1992

Corporate mergers in the mid- 1990s formed the Neorion Group of Companies, which includes the shipyards in Syros and Eleusis After 150 years, the Shipyard still operates today A defining factor in the management of the Syros water system was the early exposure of local craftsmen to desalination technology evaporation was used as a means to guarantee water supply on long boat journeys

Economic recovery in the 1980s and 1990s improved living standards High permanent population, due to its role as Regional Administrative Center Public service offices Courthouse University of the Aegean Campus The tourist industry is highly developed, catering mostly to domestic visitors Many second homes thanks to short distance from Athens Unlike many other Cycladic islands, Syros is not a party destination Amenities, such as the airport, theater, museums, convention center, and casino Cultural tourism owing to the island s heritage