Greece – Cycladic Architecture

Indeed, the rapid growth of tourism in recent years has expanded its reputation well beyond the borders of Greece. When visiting a Cycladic architecture village or town for the first time, one feels as if they are within an enchanting stage set.

The early Cycladic architecture builders employed the same simple yet bold style that distinguished the artists who crafted Cycladic idols some 5,000 years ago. With the genuine and unspoiled intuition of folk artists, these craftsmen constructed buildings that catered not only to the everyday needs of the inhabitants but also to the beauty and elegance of the Cycladic landscape.

Public squares are rarely found in Cycladic architecture villages. Typically, public spaces in settlements are quite limited. The common area is often the street, with its exceptionally well-balanced building facades.

Streets are usually paved with whitewash-outlined polygonal or rectangular flagstones. The pattern of the flagstones often extends to the exteriors of the buildings, which come in two main styles: narrow-fronted (“stenometopo”) and broad-fronted (“evrymetopo”).

Buildings within the same cluster or located on the same block tend to share the same style and similar features. As a result, a row of narrow-facade houses may have nearly identical dimensions and shapes. The houses often have two storeys, with an external staircase allowing separate access to the upper storey from the street.

The external staircase is present whether the house serves as a single-family dwelling or if two separate families independently own the ground floor and upper storey.

The separate ownership of individual floors is a longstanding tradition in the Cyclades, dating back centuries. It likely originated due to the scarcity of space in the fortified settlements established in the latter part of the 14th century when the islands first became inhabited. However, separate-storey ownership persisted even after pirate incursions subsided (primarily after the Battle of Lepanto in 1571), allowing settlements to expand beyond the walls.

Although the main reason for this practice was to facilitate dowry arrangements, separate-storey ownership also satisfied other needs. In Mykonos, for example, peasants who traveled to Hora (the Town) to sell their goods and do their shopping required storage spaces and basic shelter. Thus, they purchased these ground floors from the locals.

Manuel Marino

Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME

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