Description
Tinos is often called ‘the hidden gem of the Aegean’, a fitting description due to the island’s unspoiled beauty and undiscovered secrets.
The fourth biggest island in the Cyclades, Tinos was firstly inhabited during the Copper Age forming another piece of the Cycladic civilization. During antiquity it was home to prosperous and active settlements, as suggested by several ancient remains on the island, such as Poseidon’s and Amphitrite’s sanctuaries in Kionia, an area close to the modern capital.
During the Venetian era, the capital of Tinos was moved to a castle built on top of Xombourgo, a steep granite mountain standing at 640m, overlooking most of the island. The natural fortification offered by the particular landmark was reinforced by walls and fortresses to form an impregnable shelter for its inhabitants; an invaluable haven during the times of frequent pirate invasions.
The gradual abandonment of Xombourgo and the establishment of the modern capital coincided with the discovery of the icon of Virgin Mary and the building of the famous temple. What makes Tinos unique, is the high level of aesthetic quality witnessed throughout the island. Numerous wonderful dove-cots, elaborate marble art, hundreds of temples and churches, ancient stone trails; all seem like jewels on the gorgeous natural landscape. The residential, picturesque villages are considered exemplary forms of traditional Cycladic architecture. It seems like the inhabitants of Tinos were blessed with a ubiquitous artistic vein that ran through all of their creations.
Probably there might me some kind of truth, to references, according to which, Phidias, the great ancient sculptor, lived and taught on the island. The rich cultural heritage was augmented in recent years by the work of many famous contemporary artists, as well as, by the school of Fine Arts, which is located in the village of Pyrgos.
The plethora of fine creations on the island led one of the most prominent Greek thinkers, Cornelius Castoriadis, to aptly describe Tinos as the ‘man-made’ island.
Description
Photo Gallery
