Syros or Syra is the geographic, administrative and commercial centre of Cyclades. With its unique historical path, its particular cultural wealth and its imposing natural environment, Syros emits today an incomparable radiation.The traveller sees coexisting in a harmonious and simultaneously fascinating way the traditional element with the cosmopolitan, the medieval with the modern urban, the Cycladic with the neoclassic, the catholic historical tradition with the orthodox.
Syros has an extent of 86 square kilometres and more than 20.000 residents, constituting the largest demographic island of the Cyclades.
Capital of Syros, and of Cyclades, is Ermoupolis, a marine city that fascinates any visitor from the very first moment, with its impressive two-storied and three storied neoclassical mansions, stretched out around the big natural harbour of the east coast, up to the two hills that dominate the city, with the catholic church of Agios Georgios and the Orthodox church of Anastasi at the top.
Ermoupolis was created in the Revolution of 1821 and fast developed into a big centre of trade between east and west. In 1826, residents of the new city adopted the name Ermoupolis dedicating it to the “kerdoos” Ermis (Hermes the profitable). With the passing of time, industries, workshops and Neorio shipyards were created in the city. The economic development of Ermoupolis resulted to a cultural blossoming and, thus, in the city of “kerdoou” (profitable), but also scholar Hermes, took shape for the first time a genuine Greek urban class. This is also seen in the architecture of the new city, where the style created, conforms with the beginning of romantic classicism and is strongly influenced by western models.
Sights
Ermoupolis
Ermoupolis is today an open museum, a monumental architectural total that nothing similar is found in the rest of Greece!
The visitor, when leaving the coastal road at the point where he meets the statue of National Resistance and walking to the interior of the city, finds himself in a marvellous square of the 19th century, with the statue of the hero Andreas Miaoulis (1899), a marble music platform (1907), tall palm trees and a lot of cafes – an ideal meeting place of residents and visitors. One of the most important sights of the city is the Town hall, work of the German architect Ciller. It is one of the largest town halls in Greece. It is an impressive building, which resembles more of a palace. It is found in the north end of the Miaouli square. Three storied at the square, because of the elevation difference it becomes two-storied in the back street. The first floor is of Toscana rhythm, the second ionic while the two towers of Corinthian one.The town hall accommodates, apart from the municipal services, the land registry, the courts and the archaeological museum. The building of the club “Ellas” (1862-63) accommodates the intellectual centre Ermoupolis, a rich municipal lbrary, the room of art “Ermoupoli” and a big dance floor.
Near town hall we find the first high school of free Greece, which first functioned in 1833, and the municipal theatre “Apollo” 1862-64, with its impressive interior, that is an exact copy of the Milano Scala. Further up unfolds the district Vaporia, a genuine neoclassical architectural total with splendid urban mansions of the 19th century, with elaborate decor, marble investments and huge wood carved doors. The immense church of Agios Nikolaos (The rich)of 1848 dominates in Vaporia. Here you will also see the monument of the Unburied Fighter, work of the sculptor G. Vitalis (1880). In the church of Koimisis (1828) you will see the famous icon of Panagia , work of Dominikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco). Metropolis of the Catholics is the church of Evaggelistria, since 1829 that follows the Italian models, and metropolis of the Orthodox is the church of Metamorphosis of Sotiras from 1824, with marble colonnades, elaborate iconostasis and a wood carved throne.
In the harbour of Ermoupolis, we find a neoclassical customs building since 1834, which accommodates today the art gallery of Cyclades, and the impressive in architecture “Loimokathartirio”, where in 1860 the shipyard base of Neorio was created. In the same region you will find Karnagio and Tarsanas for any wooden fishing ships repairments and constructions.
A place you must visit is the unique industrial museum of Ermoupolis, which includes rare material from the industrial, naval and commercial life of the island. In Ermoupolis, one can find an effervescent, colourful and attractive market, with many shops, innumerable choices of accomodation, taverns with traditional food, many night life choices and, of course, the Casino.
Ano Syros
Ano Syros is built on the hill of Agios Georgios that dominates above Ermoupolis,it is the medieval city of the island, and is mainly inhabited by the catholic community. The sightseer who will walk from neoclassical Ermoupolis to Cycladic Ano Syros, will travel through centuries in a few minutes, since suddenly he is found in a formal fortified medieval settlement: small houses stuck next to each other in a circular order-which constituted the defensive wall against the pirate raids, radial structure with narrow uphill cobbled streets, with high steps and innumerable branches, “stegadia” and “portopoules” – a built -up total that fascinates the visitor, who after a little while feels that he walks in a labyrinth! Only one street has somehow bigger width, and it is where the centre of the settlement (piatsa) takes shape, with the shops and the recreation centres. The metropolitan church of Agios Georgios (San Tzortzis) is built on the highest point of the hill – fortified to the east with a tall wall and to the north-west with a natural fortification that the precipice ensures. From here, view to Ermoupolis and to the harbour is panoramic! Next to the church, in the building where in the old days the “Ieratiki” School (1837) was placed, we find the Historical Archive of the Catholic Church of Syros, with heirlooms and rare manuscripts from the 16th century. Out of the sights of Ano Syros, the most distinguishable are, the abbey of the Capuchin monks with the church of Agios Ioannis (1635), the abbey of the Jesuits with the church of Panagia of Karmilou (1740) that has a library with thousands of books, historical documents, parchments and rare manuscripts, the church of Agia Triada and Agios Nikolaos the Poor (the only Orthodox churches of Ano Syros), the exhibition of the Historical Archive of Ano Syros, the Museum of Traditional Art, the exhibition of traditional professions and, of course, the Museum of Markos Vamvakaris, with personal objects and testimonies of the great local popular music writter, next to the square with his statue. In Ano Syros you will find taverns and rembetika corners that resemble as if they sprang up from another period and offer magical views.
Religious monuments
Cemetery of Agios Georgios: It has been characterized as an “open air museum”, “ark of historical identity”, as well as the “most perfect museum in Greece”. Tomb plates with sculptural decor, work of Greek and foreign sculptors. Apart from the Orthodox cemetery, we also find the Catholic and Anglican cemetery.
Churches
Syros has appreciable churches, out of which the main ones are: The Metamorphosis, the Metropolis of Syros, which was built in 1824.
Agios Nikolaos (the rich), in the Vaporia district, Koimisis Theotokou, in the Psariana district, the Catholic church Evaggelistria etc.
In addition, one will find churches both catholic and orthodox in all villages throughout the island.
Museums
Syros has appreciable museums. The main ones are:
Pankykladiko Archaeological Museum
It is accommodated in the Town hall in Ermoupolis. Its archaeological collection includes signs that Ioannis Kokkonis assembled in 1834. It was enriched with the important prehistoric discoveries of Chalandriani. Sculptures from the Hellenistic and Roman period, as well as signs and tomb columns are also exposed in the museum.
Art gallery of the Cyclades
From 1994 the Art gallery functions in the Transit Deposits, accommodates its own collections and hosts periodical exhibitions.
Cemetery of Agios Georgios
The Orthodox cemetery has been characterized as an “open air museum”, “ark of historical identity”, as well as the “most perfect neoclassical museum of Greece”. In the cemetery one can see tomb plates with sculptural decor, work of Greek and foreign sculptors influenced from the Classicism movement.
Industrial Museum of Ermoupolis
The centre of Technical Culture is overseen by the Centre of Modern Greek Research of the National Institution and by the Municipality of Ermoupolis.The Industrial Museum of Ermoupolis belongs to the centre. The museum has collection of old instruments from the factories of Ermoupolis and an archive of oral testimonies.
Exhibition of traditional professions
The Museum of the Municipality of Ano Syros, exhibits a collection of tools and domestic appliances.
Museum of Markos Vamvakaris
It is accommodated in the residence of the great local rembetiko composer, which was renovated in 1995. The collection of the museum includes personal objects and testimonies from the life of the composer.
Museum of Cycladic Art
It is found at the Intellectual Centre of the Municipality, next to the Town hall and includes copies of the Goulandri Cycladic Art Museum, which are connected with several educational programs that take place in the same space. Instructive texts as well as a rich supervisory material are included in the exhibits.
Ecclesiastical Museum of Ermoupoli
It is found in the church of Metamorphosis and includes portable icons and ecclesiastical objects.
Villages
Delagratsia or Posidonia, is one of the most beautiful coastal regions of Syros, it was the beloved resort of the affluent residents in past periods and still maintains pavilions and neoclassical buildings in excellent condition. It has a tourist infrastructure and beautiful beaches..
Galissas is the first coastal village that was developed (on the scope of tourism) on the island. It is offered for relatively quiet vacations, and has exceptional views from its 4th century observatory, that is found on the top of the hill above the village, with the chapel of Agia Pakous. Along with Hermoupolis, Galissas was the most important archaic as well as classical center of Syros.
Vari is a relatively big and overpopulated village with a closed for winds coastal area that during the last decade is investing in tourism infrastructure. Here is where we also find the oldest prehistoric settlements of the island of about 4000-3000 b.c.
At a close distance to Vari,we trace Chroussa, a village that does present a bit of the forestry element in contrast to the rest of the island. It is here where famous residents had some of their luxurious houses with most impressing being the one of D.Vafiadakis-an old Mayor of Hermoupolis-which was build in 1862 with the technical support of international specialists.
Foinikas broader region presents great historical interest as there are traces of human livication appliances from the early Cycladic civilazation as well as of the Classical and of Roman period.
Finally Halandriani, located in Apano Meria of Syros, is a necropolis with important findings of the early Cycladic civilazation.
Beaches
In south Ermoupoli we find the settlements of Manna and Ano Manna, with marvellous neoclassical pavilions, and Azolimnos, the closest beach to Ermoupoli, with many lodgings and taverns with local wine and local titbits. On south-east Syros we find Vari, with its splendid beaches and the catholic church of the “Amiantos Silipsis of Theotokos” in the neighbouring Vounaki, that offers astonishing views to Vari. Finikas, a coastal settlement on south-western Syros, has a safe natural harbour, an organised Marina and a cosmopolitan beach. Agkathopes, in the bay, is the biggest and most beautiful beach of the island, with rich sand and crystal clear waters. Galissas, in a picturesque landscape, is the cosmopolitan tourist village of Syros with the largest sandy beach, which livens up from locals and visitors during summer. Kini is a beautiful settlement in the bay, with a beautiful beach and famous fish taverns where one can also get a small boat which does trips to the more isolated or with no access beaches of Aetos, Grammata, Varvarousa and Delfini.
Source: http://www.cyclades-tour.gr
Greek highlights 