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GENERAL INFO
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Tinos together with Panagia
of Tinos (Virgin Mary of Tinos) is characterized as the island of
Faith. Hundreds of churches and chapels confirm this characteristic.
The travelers call it the beautiful bride of the Cyclades. It is
beautiful because more than just its natural beauty it presents
an extravagant Cycladic architecture at its unique villages.
Other than its natural beauty which can be found at all its golden
and pebbly beaches, beautiful and aesthetic steeples, churches and
houses were built with materials such as granite, marble and schist,
that technically decorate the island. Also the sun that showers
the island throughout the day offering magical sunsets which uniquely
turn violet.
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At Tinos we come across
two Christian dogmas that harmoniously coexist. The Temple of Evangelistria
is a very important demotic worshipping area for the Orthodox and
people from all over Greece assemble throughout the whole year to
worship here. However at the same time Tinos is a very important
center for the Catholics, basically for the Greek Catholics. All
you need to do is to take a look around at all the churches in order
to substantiate that you are at a religious center. When Panagia/
the Virgin Mary is celebrated, worshippers from all over the world
swarm the island.
Tinos belongs to the Cyclades and is the third in size island of
this complex. Its area is 194 square kilometers. The total length
of its coastline is estimated to approx 114 kilometers. It is situated
south east of Andros and north west of Mykonos.
It highest mountain is named Tsiknias and is 725 meters high. According
to mythology Aelos, the god of the winds lived at the channel of
Tsiknias. This explains the fact that the area is very windy.
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In relation to the other Cycladic islands, it has somewhat more
water. The terrene of Tinos has remarkable mineral wealth. It has
white and green marble that was used by Buckingham palace and the
Louvre. It also has chrome , lead and iron.
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Based on tradition
the island is divided in three districts.
A) "Pano Meri" (Upper Places) that include
the villages that are found on the North and East part of
the island (from Hatzirado to Dio Choria and Mirsini or Mouslou)
which are with mixed inhabitants, meaning that they are inhabited
by both Catholics and other religions, other than Orthodox.
B) "Kato Meri" (Lower Places) that include the
villages of the north and central part of the island (from
Tarambado to Kalloni and Volax) and are all inhabited by Catholics
, except from Sklavochori.
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C)"Ekso Meri" (Outer Places) that include the
western parts of the island from Kardiani and further out (the villages
are all inhabited by Orthodox except from Kardiani which is mixed)
At Ekso Meri the terrene is full of marble and this is why the inhabitants
here where quarrymen and marble craftsmen. Snow does not fall often
on the island and the temperature does to decrease below zero. A
few fogs make their appearance during the winter and during the
summer there is a lot of heat except from the time when the northeastern
winds are blowing, thus providing it with some coolness.
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The climate of the island
is very healthy. This is because the blowing of the northern winds
prevents the development of germs. It is reported that some people
that were sick and visited the island were healed without medicine.
Tinos is basically an island with religious and worshipping tourists.
The finding of the icon, the erection of the temple, the improvement
of the transportation had a great impact to the social and economic
evolution of the island. The fact that it attracted tourism developed
the city of Tinos, in contrast with the villages. Nevertheless it
helped to reduce migration and kept the residents of the island
on their land. From 1940 to 1981 approximately 32% of the population
immigrated. In 1940 the town of Tinos concentrated 25% of the population.
Today urbanism has taken over and 75% of the population in concentrated
in the town of Tinos. Today approximately 40 villages are inhabited.
Their establishing history goes back to the middle ages and the
Byzantine years. There are also many settlements, which are basically
younger and were developed near the sea.
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The fact that many tourist centers were developed at many locations,
the creation of greenhouses, n location canning of various vegetables,
the systematic and advanced utilization of marble, played a major
role in the keeping of the population on the island and especially
at the villages. These developments have increased the occupation
in various parts of the island having as a result to fight back
of immigration.
The mixed religious population of Tinos, gives the island a special
folklore character. A Tinian dialect is noticed, with the extraction
of the vowels, the alteration of consonants and names of persons
that have a western influence.
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At Tinos irrespective
of being Catholic or Orthodox, all the people have a deep
love for the Virgin Mary. The Orthodox celebrates Panagia
(Virgin Mary) on the 25th of March and on the 15th of August
and the Catholics on the 1st Sunday of May and also on the
15th of August. The residents of Tinos are very hospitable
and they open heartedly offer food and board to the worshippers
during the festivities.
The Tinians in order to sustain the ground from suffering
intense deterioration, have created on the sides of the mountains
the so called "pezoules", which are small fields with a resistance
made of rocks in order for the ground not to get corroded
and are used to cultivate their products. The reduction of
the agricultural population slowly left some of these areas
uncultivated. Today cereals, citrus fruit, fruits and also
oil, wine and raki are cultivated. The products are consumed
basically within internal market but some are also exported.
Another beneficial product of Tinos, is its honey. In the
past they also had silk growing.
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From the end of October until the beginning of December the tradition
of "choirofagia" (the eating of pork) is help. Many families raise
a pig. For the slaughtering of the animal, friends and relatives
gather at the house and the slaughtering of the pig takes place,
thus providing the whole family with a large quantity of meat for
a substantial time span.
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