Syros Περιφερειακή ενότητα Σύρου Δήμος Σύρου-Ερμούπολης
—  Regional unit  —
The port of Ermoupoli.
Syros within the South Aegean
Coordinates: 37°27′N 24°54′E / 37.45°N 24.9°E / 37.45; 24.9Coordinates: 37°27′N 24°54′E / 37.45°N 24.9°E / 37.45; 24.9
Country	Greece
Region	South Aegean
Capital	Ermoupoli
Area
• Total	102.4 km2 (39.5 sq mi)
Population (2001)
• Total	19,782
• Density	190/km2 (500/sq mi)
Postal codes	841 xx
Area codes	228x0
Car plates	EM

Syros (Greek: Σύρος), or Siros or Syra is a Greek island in the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. It is located 78 nautical miles (144 km) south-east of Athens. The area of the island is 83.6 km² (32 sq mi). The largest towns are Ermoupoli, Ano Syros, and Vari. Ermoupoli is the capital of the island and the Cyclades. It has always been a significant port town, and during the 19th century it was even more significant than Piraeus.

Ermoupoli[link]

Ermoupolis City Hall, dersigned by Ernst Ziller, with the statue of Andreas Miaoulis (work of Georgios Bonanos).

Ermoupoli, stands on a naturally amphitheatrical site, with neo-classical buildings, old mansions and white houses cascading down to the harbour. The City Hall, where Miaoulis Square lies ringed with cafes and with seating areas under palm trees, has a grandeur^{[peacock term]} all of its own. The "City of Hermes" has numerous churches, the most interesting^{[peacock term]} of which are Metamorphosis, Koimisis, St. Demetrius, Three Hierarchs, Anastasis, Evangelistria and St. Nicolas. The Archaeological Museum has a collection of notable^{[peacock term]} finds and the Municipal Library contains numerous interesting^{[peacock term]} and rare^{[peacock term]} editions. The quarter of the town known as Vaporia, where the sea captains lived, is of special interest^{[peacock term]}. Along its narrow streets, stand numerous neo-classical mansions.

Ano Syros[link]

Ano Syros and Hermoupolis.

Ano Syros is the second town of Syros and was built by the Venetians at the beginning of the 13th century on the hill of San Giorgio, north-west of Hermoupolis. Ano Syros maintains a medieval atmosphere. Innumerable steps between narrow streets and houses with coloured doors lead to the top of the town. The medieval settlement of Ano Syros is accessible by car; the town is served mostly by marble steps. The distance from the harbour up to the main entry point of the town is approximately 1000 metres. The Catholic basilica of San Giorgio dominates Ano Syros. The church was constructed during the 13th century. From the church of San Giorgio visitors enjoy^{[peacock term]} a panoramic view of the neighbouring islands of Tinos, Delos, Mykonos, Paros, Andros and [[Naxos Island|Naxos].

History[link]

Antiquity[link]

During Roman times the capital of Syros was situated in the area of contemporary Ermoupoli. At the end of ancient times, the barbarian raids and piracy, which had surged the Aegean for many centuries, led Syros to decline. In the Byzantine years Syros constituted part of the Aegean Dominion, along with the rest of the Cycladic islands. After the overthrow of the Byzantium by the Venetians and Franks in 1204, Syros came under Venetian rule and was included in the Ducat of the Aegean. Meanwhile, Ano Syros was founded. During the Latin period, the majority of the local community were Roman Catholics, but maintained the Greek language. During the reign of almost three and a half centuries of the Ducat of the Aegean, Syros had a singular feudal regime.

Ottoman Era[link]

In the mid-16th century, the Ottoman fleet occupied the island and the Ducat fell apart. However, negotiations of the local authorities with the Ottomans gave the Cyclades substantial privileges, such as the reduction of taxes and religious freedom. It was known as "Sire" during Ottoman rule.^[1]

View of Ermoupoli from the beach.

View of Ermoupoli from Ano Syros

At the same time, following an agreement between France and the Vatican with the Ottoman authorities, the Catholics of the island came under the protection of France and Rome, a privilege maintained for centuries. After the second half of the 17th century, a period of economic recovery of the Aegean began, climaxing during the transition from the 18th to the 19th century. The special regime of the islands allowed the development of local self-government. The decline of piracy since the beginning of the 19th century led to the gradual liberation of the sea routes of the Eastern Mediterranean

Due to its crucial geographical position, Syros became known as a maritime way-point. Moreover, the special social, religious and institutional conditions prevailing on the island led Syriots to neutrality at the beginning of the Greek Revolution in 1821. As a result, Syros became a secure shelter during the Revolution, attracting many Greek refugees from Asia Minor, Chios, Spetses, Psara, Aivali, Smyrna, Kydonia, Kassos and other places. Newcomers, mainly mariners and tradesmen, gave the island a new dynamic, which along with its demographic and economic development, turned it into an administrative and cultural centre.

Between 1822 and 1865, Ermoupoli was rebuilt in a Neoclassical style, merging Greek Classicism with elements of the Renaissance. Many landmarks such as the City Hall (designed by the famous German architect Ernst Ziller), the theatre Apollon by the Italian architect Campo (a miniature version of La Scala di Milano), the main Library, the General Hospital of Syros (Vardakeio-Proio), Miaoulis square and other buildings were built during that period of time.

Most public buildings, churches, schools, stadiums and many mansions were built in the same elegant and neoclassical style, making Ermoupoli at the time a very modern city with a unique character. As a result, Syros changed almost overnight from a rather quiet island into a vigorous centre of crafts, industry and production. Also, due to its large port of Ermoupoli, it turned into a major centre for ship building and refitting. Neorion was the first shipyard of Greece. To this very day, it remains a place where many ships are serviced and refitted.

Syros also has a British cemetery where various people are buried, including many seamen and servicemen who died in the Cyclades region, particularly during the Second World War. Many embassies and consulates of countries such as France, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries connect Syros with other European capitals.

Because of the Venetian domination from the Middle Ages and onwards, the islanders were exclusively Roman Catholic. However, due to immigration from other islands, Catholics now constitute some 47% of the population. The majority of the population are Greek Orthodox. They live peacefully side by side. Intermarriage between Churches is very common in Syros.

The Pope's Island[link]

Inside the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Ermoupolis.

View of the Cathedral.

The diocese of Syra (Syrensis, "The Pope's Island") was a Latin diocese, suffragan of Naxos, comprising the Island of Syros in the Aegean Sea. The island has an area of about 31 square miles (80 square kilometres) and 32,000 inhabitants today. It was first called Syra, then Syros or Siros, and appears in ancient times to have been inhabited by the Phoenicians. In the Odyssey, Syros was the country of the swineherd Eumaeus who described it at length (Odyssey, XV, 403 sq.). The island was also the home of the philosopher Pherecydes, the teacher of Pythagoras. It possessed two leading cities, Syros (now the modern Ermoupoli) and another city on the western coast where stands to-day Galissas.

The largest villages are Galissas, Finikas, Vari, Mana, Kini and Posidonia. The island did not play an important role during antiquity nor the early Christian years^{[citation needed]}, it was not even a diocese at a time when even the smallest island possessed its bishop. Devastated several times during the Middle Ages along with the other Cyclades by the Sicilians, Arabs, Turks, and Venetians, it was definitively conquered by the Venetians in 1204 under the leadership of Marco Sanudo. It remained under Venetian rule until 1522 when the corsair Barbarossa took possession of the island.

During the Ottoman Empire Syros came under the protection of France and the Vatican^{[citation needed]}. After 1829 it was annexed to the Hellenic kingdom.