Pyrgos


Pyrgos is the largest town of Tinos. Built at a low altitude, it is surrounded by the mountain slopes of Miroviglia, Patela, Kakia Skala and Profitis Elias. It is the oldest settlement in the area and dates back to the Middle Ages. Today, it is the centre of the Community of Panormos.
The village and its greater area were thriving economically and artistically between the 18th and the beginning of the 20th century. At that time, shipping and commerce are flourishing, whilst the locals start exploiting the marble extracted at the quarries, and so the first marble workshops are established. Pyrgos is the birthplace of eminent artists of the chisel and paintbrush. It is also the starting point of the Revolution for the liberation of the island from Turkish slavery.
The village is called an open-air museum of immutable traditional Cycladic architecture. Doorframes, lintels, bas - relief wall and street ornaments are but a few of its traditional elements. The parish churches of Saint Nicolas and Saint Dimitrius together with the rest of the 12 churches in the area are considered to be architectural jewels. A special feature of the village is also the beautiful stone-paved square with the perennial plane tree and the memorial marble fountain, above which there are two vertical steles mentioning the names of the Freedom Fighters and Art Benefactors.
Among the sights of Pyrgos one can count the residence of Giannoulis Halepas and Nikiphoros Lytras, and also the museum of artists from Panormos. The cemetery is also of special interest, which has been designated a landmark under preservation, boasting remarkable marble sculptures, busts and engraved tombstones. In the village one can find the School of Arts of Panormos, Tinos, and several other workshops of marble-sculpture and woodcarving. There are also some taverns, cafes, several stores, rooms to rent and grocery stores with local products.



Panormos




Panormos Bay is the picturesque port of Pyrgos. Due to its geographic location, Panormos was a major port, in the days of sailboats. Big freighters used to transport the famous marbles of Tinos, to every city destination. The region has enjoyed a significant tourist development, however the tourist influx has not altered its traditional color, nor has it disturbed the tranquility of the place. Several restaurants, cafes, rooms to let and souvenir stores are located on the coastal area. The beach is small, with soggy sand and is located on the west side of the village, named Stafida. A small pond near the seashore is the habitat of ducks, turtles and small fish. The area has adequate tourist infrastructure, with taverns, rooms to rent, stores, mini markets etc.


Venardados


Bernardados is a small hamlet, amphitheatrically built on a hill slope. It is the birthplace of several well-known artists. The church of Saint John the Theologue is one of the jewels of the area. There is a beautiful small chapel dedicated to Saint Phanourios, designed by the Modern Berardadian painter Nicolaos Gahitis.



Kardiani


The verdurous village of Kardiani is panoramically built on the Pateles mountain slope, at an altitude of 260 meters. Kardiani is one of the local names given to the Virgin Mary. The village was founded between 1670 and 1690 by inhabitants of several parts of the island who had to abandon their homes probably because of an outbreak of a plague epidemic. This explains the co-existence of Orthodox and Catholics in the village. The location was chosen taking into account the abundance of waters and the nearby farming lands.
However, the area around Kardiani was also inhabited in antiquity. Excavations carried out in the beginning of the 20th century brought to light a geometric era settlement. The finds were transferred to museums in Tinos and Athens, while the ruins of the old buildings were buried again in the fields. Outside the borders of the modern village, 6 tombs have also been found, along with several other important ancient objects , such as a Neolithic axe, earthenware jars, jewellery etc. Some other relics prove that the place was also inhabited in the classical and Byzantine era.
The extremely tall plane trees, the two-storeyed houses, the blossoming gardens, the picturesque steps, the alleys, the arches and the old washhouses compose a spectacular Cycladic landscape. The view from the village is equally impressive, overlooking the deep blue Aegean Sea, while a gully with rich vegetation crosses the village ending at Giannaki Bay. The central square is quite picturesque, with tall cypress trees, a fountain with goldfish, decorated with four marble frogs, executed by Petros Delatolas in 1970. The village is adorned by the great churches of the Holy Trinity (Orthodox), of the Assumption, and of Panaghia Kioura (Catholic). In Kardiani, the visitors can also find a cafe-restaurant, a grocery shop and rooms to rent.

---

Be sure to visit the Gallery section, to check out more photographs of the villages, by clicking here!