The Venetian Past of Mykonos Old Town

Mykonos, the most famous and most visited of the Greek Islands, is nowadays one of Europe’s most over touristed destinations.

Two million tourists a year visit the island – half of them in the month of August. Giant cruise ships dock in its enlarged harbour, which also serves as a transport hub for boats to other islands. Wandering and guided tourists descend on the old town of Mykonos which has been meticulously preserved by its residents contributing to its growing popularity and overcrowding.

Some of the most picturesque sites here date from the town’s Venetian past between the 13th and 17th centuries when the port here, like many across the Eastern Mediterranean, served as a staging post for Venetian galleys that supplied exotic goods from the Middle East and beyond to European markets.

The construction of the Little Venice on the ocean front of the old town date from this period. Most of the houses used to belong to wealthy individuals, such as merchants or captains, hence the elegant architecture of the buildings. Some of the island’s most distinguished families owned a house right on the picturesque shoreline.

Many houses were later converted into chic bars, still very conspicuous by their old-world charm.

The Venetians also built most of the famous windmills on the island. Most windmills face towards the North where the island’s climate sources its strongest winds. There are currently 16 windmills on Mykonos, most of them built by the Venetians in the 16th century, although their construction continued into the early 20th century. They were primarily used to mill wheat. They were an important source of income for the inhabitants. Their use gradually declined until they ceased production in the middle of the 20th century. The architecture of each of them is similar, all have a round shape, white colour and a pointed roof and very small windows. Such windmills are found in almost all Cyclades islands.

Destination – Greece