Page 228 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

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SÝROS

ΣΎΡΟΣ
~ 1 km (0.5 miles) SE of Ermoúpoli g Ermoúpoli @
n Ermoúpoli; www.syrosisland.gr
EXPERIENCE The Cyclades and cul tural centre of the Cyclades. It became a rich MARKOS
Rocky Sýros, or Sýra, is the commercial, administrative
and powerful port in the 19th century, and as a result
the capital has richly decorated churches and grand
squares. Tourism is not the main industry here,
VAMVAKARIS
although the island becomes more popular every year.
One of the greatest
the Greek blues, Markos
1
Vamvakaris (1905–72)
place, especially for the
was born in Áno Sýros,
Ermoúpoli the city’s hub and meeting exponents of rembétika,
evening stroll, or vólta. There
is also a marble bandstand and was a composer as
g @ Aktí Ethnikís well as a musician.
Antístassis n Thymáton and a statue dedicated to the Synonymous with hash
Sperhíon 11; 22810 82500 revolutionary hero Admiral dens, rembétika was
Andréas Miaoúlis. The square the music of the urban
Elegant Ermoúpoli, named is dominated by the vast and underclass. With strong
after Hermes, the god of impressive Neo-Classical town Byzantine and Islamic
commerce, is the largest city hall (1876). Designed by the influences, it is often
in the Cyclades. In the 19th German archi tect Ernst Ziller, played on the baglamá
century it was Greece’s the building is now a National or the bouzouki, both
leading port and a major Historical Landmark. stringed guitar-like
coaling station with a huge The Archaeological instruments. There are
natural harbour and thriving Museum, up the steps to the hundreds of recordings
shipyard. Crowned by the twin left of the town hall, houses of Vamvakaris’s music,
peaks of Catholic Áno Sýros to bronze and marble utensils the earliest dating back
the north and the Orthodox from the 3000 BC Cycladic to 1932. A bust of the
Vrontádo to the south, the city settlement at Halandrianí. musician looks out to
is built like an amphitheatre Also on display are Cycladic sea from the small
around the harbour. statuettes and Roman finds. square named after
The central Platía Miaoúli in Left of the town hall is the him in Sýros.
the lower town is one of the Historical Archives Office.
glories of Ermoúpoli. Paved
with marble and lined with
palm-shaded cafés and
pizzerias, the grand square is

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