Page 87 - ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL 2022

ATHENS RIVIERA JOURNAL
escape

Later on, when Delos was highly populated,
Mykonos became very important as a signif-
icant port for supplies and transit. It was also
an important cultural and religious centre,
and many travelled frequently between the
two islands. During the time of the Roman
occupation and the Middle Ages, Mykonos
was part of the Roman Empire and then the
Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines defended
it against the Arabs in the 7th century and
maintained control until the 13th century,
when it came under the control of the Ghizzi
dynasty in 1207 and was eventually handed
to the Venetians in 1390. In 1537, still un-
der the Venetians, Mykonos was attacked by
Hayreddin Barbarossa, a legendary admiral
of Suleiman the Magnificent. The Ottomans
took over, imposing a system of self-govern-
ance which consisted of a governor and an
appointed council of syndics. After centuries
of foreign rule, the Mykonians took over a
leading role in the Greek Revolution of 1821
against the Ottomans, spearheaded by ac-
claimed national heroine Mando Mavrog-
enous. Mykonos was part of the free Greek
State since the first day of its independence
in 1830. Sailors and merchants quickly re-
vived the island’s economy, consolidating
trade relations with South Russia, Moldavia
and Wallachia. However, after the opening
of the Corinth Canal in 1904 and with the
beginning of the First World War, Mykonos’
well-developed economy started to decline
and, consequently, many locals left to find
work in mainland Greece or abroad – espe-
cially in the United States.
Yet, it wasn’t long before tourism rose as the
answer to the problems of the local economy,
starting with significant archaeological exca-
vations taking place in Delos in 1873, which
brought fascinating Ancient Greek artefacts
and structures to light. As a result, lovers of
Greek history and mythology began taking
an interest in the region and, along with the
ancient ruins, started to explore the island of
Mykonos and partake in the celebrated Greek
hospitality. In the 1930s, Mykonos started to
become a popular destination for famous art- THE ISLAND WAS A WELL-GUARDED
ists, politicians and wealthy Europeans, who
had already noticed the island. Those were SECRET BEFORE THE YACHTS AND CRUISE
the first days of Mykonos as a hotspot for
the international jet-set. After the dark years SHIPS OF THE SIXTIES BEGAN TO DROP
of World War II, Mykonos came back to life
to blossom into the stunning cosmopolitan ANCHOR ON THEIR WAY TO VIEW THE
destination of the rich and famous – and not CHRISTOS DRAZOS
only – that we know it as today.  MAGNIFICENT ANCIENT RUINS OF DELOS. CLASSIC FUSION
CHRONOGRAPH
MYKONOS BOUTIQUE
086
Limited edition of 50 pieces

20.07.22 11:58
Hublot_AthRivJou_CFMyk22_275x310.indd 1
Hublot_AthRivJou_CFMyk22_275x310.indd 1 20.07.22 11:58