Mykonos Town is definitely one of the prettiest and most charming towns of the Greek islands, with endless small streets, churches, terraces and whitewashed houses.

A place where one can wonder around for days and discover something unexpected, every single time. Because of the street layout (intended to confuse pirates), it is also the perfect place to get lost.

Windmills of Mykonos

From as early as the 16th century, one of the most recognized landmarks of Mykonos have been its windmills. Due to its geographic position, Mykonos was situated on a major sea trade-route which, at some point, joined Venice, the gateway of Europe, to Asia. The need to refine grain and compact it for transport, combined with an ample year-round supply of wind, made Mykonos the perfect location. Easy access to the harbor was necessary, so most of the island’s mills were positioned in or around the main port, with the highest concentration covering the entire western portion of the town. With the coming of industrialization, the windmills’  importance began to fade, and so did the actual windmills. The cluster of Kato Myloi (Lower Windmills) rises proudly over the sea, on the small hill southwest of Chora (the city of Mykonos).

 

Little Venice 

“Little Venice” is the most western part of the town that meets the sea. The houses have been built right on the sea’ s edge, with their balconies overhanging  above water. During the 16th and 17th century, pirating was common and it is believed that this area was used for the necessary quick loading and unloading of goods.

 

The Church of Panagia Paraportiani

This is the most popular and most photographed of the 400 churches on the island of Mykonos.

It is situated in the neighborhood of Kastro, in the town of Mykonos. Its name literally means “Our Lady of the Side Gate” in Greek, as its entrance was found in the side gate of the entrance to the Kastro area.

What makes this church so unique is its construction, which is an asymmetrical conglomeration of 5 churches into one. Notice the 5 different architectural styles, mixing byzantine, vernacular, traditional and western style.

The church dates back to the middle of the 15th century A.D. The name derives from the word “Porta” (“door” in Greek), as it was build right next to the entrance of the Medieval castle in Mykonos Town, which unfortunately has been completely destroyed.

A building of great architectural value, it consists of 4 ground floor temples and 1 on the first floor, which is the main church.

The churches around it:

– Saint Sozontas (the Saved)

– Saints Anargyroi: they were the twin brothers, Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian, physicians, and early Christian martyrs. They practiced their profession in the seaport of Aegean, then in the Roman province of Syria. As they did not accept any kind of payment for their services, they were  called Anargyroi (from the Greek word  “Ανάργυροι”, meaning “the silverless” or “unmercenaries”).

-Saint Anastasia, has long been venerated as a healer.

-Saint Efstathios, prostate of hunters and thirams.

….comprise The church of Panagia Paraportiani