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Mykonos
 Mykonos
is known as the island that never sleeps before the sun rises, that
shouts its beauty all over the world, but is still to be newly
discovered. Mykonos is also known as the island with the 400 churches,
of the VIPs and the cosmopolitans, all night lasting parties, the
famous inhabitants and their villas, freedom, tolerance & eccentrics,
"gay" life, clubs & bars, endless shopping, surfers, divers & bikers,
the third generation of Pelicans, the florists on donkeys and the
early morning vegetable markets at the port.
In the wealth of ancient Greek mythology
there are two references to Mykonos. The first tells us that the
island took its name from the hero Mykonos and the other that it was
on Mykonos that Hercules slew the Giants and that the large rocks
which lie scattered about the island are their petrified corpses in
antiquity. The greatest growth of this island was noted in the
historical years during which there were two important cities, Mykonos
and Panormos.
During the period between World War I
and World War II, tourism made its first appearance. From the mid-50s the island has been gradually transformed into an important
tourist, cosmopolitan and artistic centre. The Venetians conquered
Mykonos in 1207 and the Turks in 1537. Mykono's fleet energetically took
part in the 1821 Revolution in which the figure of Manto Mavrogenous
stood out. In October 1822, the Turks undertook a landing on the
island, but the Mykonians under their heroic woman leader, Manto
Mavroyenous, successfully repulsed it.
After liberation (1830) Mykonos managed
to re-establish its commercial fleet but the late dominance of
the steamship resulted in the gradual constriction of their shipping
activities by the end of the century.
According to Greek mythology, Delos is
the place where Apollo, the god of light, and Artemis, goddess of
hunting, both children of Lito and Zeus, were born. The myth says that
the island called Delos was revealed from the waves when Lito, chased
by Zeus wife, Hera, could not find a place to give birth to Apollo and
Artemis.
 Zeus
asked Poseidon's help and he revealed a small rocky island called
Delos, a word which means & laqno; revealed», &laqno; shown». All the
islands around Delos which form a circle were called & laqno;
Cyclades» Delos was first inhabited by Cares or Phoenicians during the
3rd millennium BC.
In Neolithic Ages (1600 - 1500 BC), the
island was quite developed, whereas between 1500 and 1200 BC we know
that an important settlement was formed. Around 1100 BC Ionions came to
the island bringing with them the worship of Apollo. In 700 BC the
island becomes the centre of an Ionian amphicyte, which was the basis
for commercial development. In 540 BC Athenians forbade the burial of
the dead in Delos because the island belonged to Apollo. The Persians
respected the island during the Persian Wars.
In 477 BC Athenians decided a new &
laqno; purification» of the island and forbade people from being born
and dying on it. They also ordered the transfer of all dead people
from Delos to the neighbouring Rinia. At the same time Athenians
decreed a glorious ceremony, & laqno; Delia» held every five years. In
314 BC, Delos was under the protection of Ptolemy of Egypt and then
under the influence of Macedonians when another flourishing period
starts.
During Roman Times, the island turns
into a important port in the Aegean Sea. This is the most prosperous
time in its history. In 88 BC Mithridatis, King of Pontos, who was at war with the Romans,
destroyed Delos and Mykonos and looted the
sanctum.
Accommodation
| Mykonos Photo Gallery
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