The Countryside of Tinos

Alongside with architecture, the countryside of Tinos presents a great interest. The climate and the environment shaped the structure of the harvest fields, with the help of the local laborers. Thereby, the peasants transformed the high slopes into cultivable land by means of constructing sustaining stone-walls (or “scales” in the local dialect) which they created, building them with dry stones (like benches). This usage was present in Tinos even during antiquity. The phenomenon existed already since the 4th century BC, namely that the inhabitants of the island used to give this form to these narrow bands of earth along the slopes of the island hills, sustaining the earth masses in between.

Indeed those “scales” were also called “Trafos” (anagrammatism of the ancient Greek word (tafros) “trench”) and they formed natural water tanks or cultivable land. In this way, the surface becomes even, the ground is kept back and doesn’t drift away because of the rains. On the inside part of the “scale”, fig trees or vineyards are planted, so they can protect the crops from northern winds, but also in order to preserve humidity. The farmers’ access into their property is allowed through narrow paths, similarly built with dry stones along the borders of the fields, usually with steps due to the inclination of the ground. These paths provide a pleasant experience to the visitor, either when tracking or walking, or merely observing.

On the places where water is found, mostly through digging wells, the farmers prefer to create olive and citrus groves and fruit gardens. In this attempt, the prevailing conditions in those places play a very important role. In the low plains in the center of the island, around the village of “Komi” the fields are being protected from the animals with dikes, which also help preserve dampness.

Villages of Tinos

The majority of the thorps of Tinos were established in the 17th century and it was then they reached their peak. Their form was influenced by a variety of factors. The most important were the weather and the winds that prevail on the island, as well as landscape and the social and historical environment. The invasions through sea during several historical periods, forced the locals into human settlements in the inside of the island, building the majority of their settlements there. Built in the rural areas of Tinos surrounded by mountains, (like the villages “Volax”, “Pyrgos”) they weren’t visible to the enemy. For that matter, the use of the local schist that is plentiful on the island contributed to this solution, as did the closeness between the houses that were built one upon the other. Surely, some boroughs have a view of the sea (for example the villages “Kardiani” and “Isternia”) but they were also protected from the East, where the biggest danger came from. The winds that hit the island, particularly the northern ones, are stronger than on the other islands of the Aegean. This resulted in building the majority of the villages on sheltered places. The Tinian craftsmen, cleverly taking advantage of the topography of the ground, oriented the villages in such a way, so they could achieve exposure to the sun and good ventilation, but at the same time, protection from the powerful winds.

Furthermore, some other weather conditions influenced the shaping of the Tinian house.

The presence of flat terrace roofs is caused by lack of snow and intense rainfalls, while the arches in the alleys of the villages protect from rain and sun. Always near the verges of mountain slopes, the Tinian villages take advantage of the water supply and the fertility of the fields for their crops. In conclusion, topography and the local environment conditions played a really important role in shaping the villages and the construction of the houses, positioned according to the existing landscape of the island. The earth slopes with the “scales”, similar to what was mentioned for the countryside, had a similar effect in village planning. The island's rock beds were widely used by the local builders, that is, the schist and dry stones of the house walls, the marble on the alley pavements and elsewhere, to the extension each owner afforded. The Tinian architecture is original. In spite of the Venetian presence on the island for many centuries, any western elements were rather limited. Only in some exceptions, we can see marble columns, a characteristic of western buildings and churches.

The Turkish occupation in Tinos didn’t leave any architectural remains. The short period of time the captors occupied the island (1715-1821 with intervals) contributed to this situation.

The main feature of Tinos villages is the lack of entrenchment or the nonexistent fortification, with the only exception being the Castle-Xomburgo, due to the previously mentioned circumstances. This is mainly due to the specially established order that Tinos and the Venetian captors had agreed on, thus preserving the island`s self-determination. The structure of the villages indicates how “close” the society of the village was, with one house stuck to the other. The roads and paths of the thorps form a tight web, following the inclination of the ground. Many villages have public buildings, such as schools, community establishments and more. Furthermore, the fountains, the open spaces for the festivals, the town-squares, are lively places for a pleasant living.

The main feature of the Cycladic town planning is the space forming a neighborhood. The biggest emphasis is given to the town square and the church, which often coexist or are very close. All public buildings or meeting places (e.x cafeterias) or commercial places (like stores) are placed around the main square i.e. the village center of social life. In big villages there are sometimes more than one squares. Unfortunately, in the Harbor Town (Chora), due to concurrency over precious city space for commercial purposes, things are different. The traditional public space structure is different here and emphasis is given on the water-front and the port. However, neighborhoods based on the traditional town planning still exist in Chora.

The appellation of many villages in Tinos comes from the long period of feudalism

prevailing on the island. An example of that are some village names ending in –ados. Some other villages, “Komi”, “Pyrgos”, “Steni” and more, bear witness about their founding in ancient times (for ex. Komi = Town (Chora) during the ancient classical period.) Others, owe their name to the first inhabitants the “Kares”, for example “Karia”, though others have been given their name by some characteristics of the area such as “Loutra” (Βathing resorts), “Tripotamos”(Three Rivers), “Krokos”(Crocus).

The Tinian House

The houses on the island constitute a marvelous example of folk art. They stand out for their simplicity and functional design. They are small with few openings, which are rare at the sides facing north, like in other Mediterranean settlements. In the old days, the house façades were left without paint in order to melt with the environment. Today they are whitewashed or otherwise painted in light colors, mainly for the sake of cleanliness and secondly for reflecting the intense sunlight, in order to avoid overheating. The building materials used here are mostly local marble and schist, whereas the whitewash is used in construction and decoration, or for crack coverage. The floor is covered with schist or with “compact” dirt. The traditional Tinian houses usually consist of one spacious room, the lounge, which is used as a reception for visitors, two or three smaller rooms, the bedrooms, directly connected to the main room (depending on the number of the family members), situated on the back or the sides, a kitchen with a fireplace (which is mainly used for cooking and not for heating). The basement floor is placed under the living quarters, where all the agricultural products are stored, as well as the oven, and the rooms where the harvest elaboration is taking place, such as the wine-press room, the raki-brewing room, the barn and more.

The yard, open or rarely indoors, is usually on the front side of the building, on the first floor, which almost always has a southern orientation. It is surrounded by walls, banquettes, usually clad with marble tiles, as a double ledge (with one of the parts shorter), where someone can sit and enjoy the magical view of the Aegean Sea. The role of the front yard was and still is important, as the social life of the family gravitates around it. The equipment of the yard includes: benches, tables, flower beds, chairs and stairs for the upper floor or the terrace. The first floor is connected with the ground floor and the road usually by an open staircase, often marble-clad. The main entrance, which in most houses is in the middle of the house façade, between the windows, is decorated with semi-circular marble lintels. On the house-roof or terrace there are beautiful chimneys, a real pleasure to the eye. In many houses these chimneys have the form of a clay jar. This use of materials is always ideal for the purpose they serve; the practical side is combined with beautiful design, serving human needs perfectly.

On the inside, the houses have quite simple lines, with the only decorative characteristic being the main arch, commonly called “Volto”, placed in the middle of the lounge. Other elements are the built-in niches in the walls (smaller or larger for placing different objects). The “Volto”, a particular attribute of insular architecture, is essential to the support of the weight of the roof or the upper chamber. The homes are furnished with the indispensable but also traditional furniture (buffet, chest of drawers, divan and trunk). The furniture is covered with hand-embroidered linen or hand-made woven sheets made on the drawloom, while laced curtains are hanging from the windows. The standard of living in traditional Tinos homes was high, the proof being a complete separation of the animals from the family quarters, not resembling the traditional living conditions in the rest of rural Greece, at that time. Specific areas exist for the animals beside and around the houses, like stables, hog pens, dovecotes and more.

Churches and Chapels

Tinos was a religious centre since ancient times, when the Sanctuary of Poseidon and Amphitrite made it the biggest pilgrimage destination for Greeks. Still, the faith and the religious aspects of the island continued through the centuries, until the present day. A proof of this is the great number of churches erected all over the island.

This fact constitutes a difficulty when undertaking a methodical study over them and as a result, it has not finished yet. Having around 1000 Orthodox and Catholic churches, Tinos has a special place in the world of church architecture, where the sensitivity of the Tinian soul reached its peak, using eastern and western building techniques in a unique way. With the help of local materials and devotion, the Tinian builders and wrights constructed churches that are real masterpieces. Moreover, the belfries beguile the visiting pilgrim with their magnificence combined with their simplicity. Every single one is made of marble and rock, either when especially decorated, or wonderfully austere.

During the Byzantine years, many parochial churches were erected in the villages. The building of this multitude of churches is mainly due to the special agreement among the inhabitants of Tinos and the Turks, after the island rulers, the Venetians, delivered it to the Ottoman Empire. The Tinian people were free to build as many churches as they wanted. In every property, a family church was built. Furthermore, a church possession is considered a blessing for the family that owns it. It is transferred from generation to generation, without minding effort and expenses.

When each church celebrates, either being private or not, all the devotees, friends and strangers sit together and enjoy treats from the owner-family or the whole village. The traditional Tinian treat consists of coffee, raki and Turkish delight.

(During Christmas they also offer homemade fried honey dough “diples”, while during Easter, sweet cheese pies). Usually, alongside with the above specialties, they also offer more traditional dishes, such as Tinian cheese, “Louza” (a special pork dainty), “Skordato” (a sort of local spicy sausage), artichokes in oil m.m.; all of the above usually washed down with local wine.

The churches of Tinos are divided in three types: The parish churches that stand out in the villages and “Chora”, the chapels, smaller churches near the cathedrals, and the rural ones. The last ones, all white, are innumerable and can be found everywhere in the countryside of Tinos: on the mountain peaks, on rocky landscapes, near beaches, in plain fields, beside paths and roads, in dells, or generally everyplace a Tinian believer can imagine, in the villages, but also in “Chora”. Those chapels fill and enrich the countryside. They comprise an integral part of the landscape and are a trade mark for Tinos. Everyday, there is certainly one church celebrating somewhere. Small church festivities enliven nature and constitute genuine assemblies of the islanders. As for the architectural aspect, the churches of Tinos are either aisled, two-aisled or three aisled.

The main characteristic of the churches in Tinos is their bell tower, constructed in various shapes. Many times, it stands individually beside the church. The old churches do not have any openings, while the later ones, do. The long lived coexistence of the Orthodox and Catholic dogmas on the island, resulted in mutual influences when architectural style is concerned. In some rare cases, there are churches dedicated to both dogmas, like Saint Catherine in “Tsiknias”. Generally, the traditional churches of Tinos, and particularly the rural ones do not differ from the Tinian houses when construction materials are concerned, such as slate clay and whitewashed outside walls. The ceiling, like in the houses, is flat and formed by one big monolithic slab or with small ones that rest against wooden beams (or “Traves”, as they are locally called). In some church façades, we come across triangular frontispieces. These elements do not concur with the local tradition, but are recent (of the 19th and 20th centuries).

Dove-cotes

The dovecotes are the pigeons’ houses. The love for doves always existed since ancient times and throughout Christianity, when the dove symbolized the Holy Spirit. The Greeks have connected them with peace, love and tenderness. Poems and songs have been written in their honor but we also come across them, in traditional engravings, embroidery or paintings.

Dove-cotes exist in other Cycladic islands too, but the most arresting are to be found in Tinos. They have been closely connected with the island and they can be considered as its trademark. The local builder knows that, in order to attract doves, the appropriate location must be found. That is why they are built in rural sites, in specifically chosen places, near cultivated fields and water sources, in mountain banks and gulches but never on a mountain. This helps the flying of the birds, but also it helps them find their way back. The existence of water near the structure is necessary for their survival.

Alongside the functional cause of their existence, the dovecotes are signs of gracefulness and aristocracy. Possessing a dove-cote was considered an honor for the owners, since it gave them a higher social status. Dove-cotes are considered as ornaments of the Tinian landscape and the remarkable aspect is how one is different from the other.

They are fair-sized, with rock built walls. The ground floors are used as warehouses for agricultural products and tools and the upper parts for the doves. Like the rest of the buildings in Tinos, local materials are used (Slate clay and other rocks, whitewash) for the construction of a dovecote. The building has only one small wooden door that is used for the entrance of the owner, but also for the protection of the doves from predators, such as snakes and mice.

The dove-cote builders used slate clay, to create rare decorations on one or more surfaces of the structure (rhombs, triangles, suns, cypresses and more). These decorative elements create one inconceivably harmonious image and have been called “architectural embroidery”. Every singular one, or all combined together, make a set of rare monuments and can be seen as an expression of a popular art form that is unique in the whole world.

It seems like a deep emotional need is seeking to emerge in the form of creative architecture.

Although doves were present on the islands for many centuries, it seems that the Venetians introduced their regular breeding. While during the Venetian domination the dovecotes were a privilege of the Venetian conquerors (“droit de colombiers”), the locals formed them according to the folk tradition and made them their own. The majority of dovecotes were built during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Dove-breeding was so extensive then, that the Tinian people exported them to all parts of Greece, reaching even so far as Smyrna, Istanbul and elsewhere. Their delicious meat was highly appreciated, especially when conserved in jars with vinegar, since it was and still is considered as a very high class and nutritious food. Even today, the locals cook and serve doves. However they breed them not only for their delicious meat but also for their excrements, which are considered to be a natural fertilizer of the finest quality. The exact number of dove-cotes is not known, but it certainly exceeds 1000. Most of them are built in the central and eastern areas of the island, mostly in the valley of the village “Tarabados”, but also around “Tripotamos”.

Presently, effort is made for the dove-cotes of Tinos to be preserved. With voluntary contributions and surveys, the Association “Friends of Greenery” has supported and continues supporting this initiative. Until now over 140 dovecotes have been restored, while the target of this activity of the Association is to reconstruct 1007.

Windmills

Tinos can be the ideal place for mills to function, while the strong winds that dominate the island are a serious advantage. After scientific survey, it was ascertained that here existed more windmills than on the other islands of the Cyclades. From the period even before Christianity, more than 80 windmills were operating, which milled the wheat not only of Tinos but also of the neighboring islands. During the Venetian domination, the windmills increased, while the wheat was being cultivated systematically for the needs of the population that had been tripled.

They are built from local stones, on hills’ peaks and at passages, so that the wheat could be easily transported from the nearby villages to the mill. The building is divided in three sections; at the last one and highest, the milling was done. We can encounter them in clusters or individually all over the island. On the hill overlooking the village “Ysternia”, many windmills are grouped together, due to the fact that there has been a developed flour export industry in the past, the merchandise being exported through the little harbor of the village. However, there are many windmills all over the island, for domestic use.

The milling went on also during the Greek war of independence for the alimentation of the Greek fleet, and afterwards, during peaceful times. The windmill operation coincided with prosperous times, when milling meant that everything was going well for the country and its economy.

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During the Second World War, the millers of the island, risking their own lives, offered important services to the population suffering from hunger, by milling flour secretly at night, to satisfy local needs. Their course continued until the 70’s, when most of them were shut down. Until recently, the last mill was still functioning in the valley of Kambos, but unfortunately, that one was shut down as well.

The small number of mills that have survived until today, are considered as examples of art and the local craftsmen’s ability. Being now remnants of passed centuries, the windmills justify the connection of the island with Aeolus, the god of the wind.

The Tinian windmills have eight wooden rays, on which the masts are tied, rotating according to wind strength and direction. For their construction only local materials are used, except for the millstone, which was imported from Milos island.

The miller’s profession was hereditary. The millers are considered as the best amateur weather-forecasters. Like the sailors, they knew the winds on the island, and that is how, after enough consideration, they chose where to build their windmill. Furthermore, so as to ensure that everything was progressing well, they preyed to the Saints, like Saint Nicholas patron of sailors, Saint George and Saint Minas, hanging their icons in the mill, high under the wooden beams.

Watermills

The watermills were invented the 1st century BC and it is unknown when they first operated in Tinos. They are connected to the old appellation of Tinos “Hydroussa”, revealing the presence of water and sources on the island. The locals, took advantage of this and used watermills together with the windmills for grinding wheat. Like the windmills, they can also be seen individually or in clusters all over the island, in places where the water abounds, like “Livada”, “Marouli” and “Perastra”. In Tinos until recently, the watermills were systematically operating. Unfortunately though, just like it happened with the windmills, they surrendered to disuse and fell into oblivion, due to the evolution of technology.

The art of marble and stone carving

Masterpieces of marble Art may be found everywhere in Tinos. They are at the roads and the alleys of the island, near churches and houses and generally wherever you look. The Tinian marble has been carved with love and imagination by efficient sculptors and technicians, and the marble adornments and engravings decorate all the sites, where this stone has been used. That way, the technician is always justified for his choice. The well-known and unique Tinos marble, white or green, has been used and continues to be one of the first choices for the lining of monuments and architectural projects. Thus, it isn't surprising that it was used at the Buckingham Palace and the Louvre.

Tinian craftsmanship, as a consequence of dedication and love, succeeded in making artistic masterpieces using this local material. Tinos, in addition to the works of Art which have been commissioned by other Greek and foreign cities, is also being called an “outdoor museum of traditional marble sculpture”. The most illustrious examples of local art are the churches, the cemeteries (mainly the graveyards of the villages “Pyrgos” and “Platia”), the Strongholds/Castles, the marble fountains, the rural community “laundry-houses” in the villages, and finally the semi-circular lintels over the doors and windows that decorate the houses and churches. It has to be mentioned that around 1845, marble sculpture and architecture are the main pre-industrial features, on the island of Tinos and they occupied more than a thousand people among sculptors, stone- masons and technicians.

Marble Art- Marble Sculpture

According to tradition, the most outstanding sculptor of antiquity, Phidias, came to Tinos and taught his art and its secrets. That is also indicated by the large amount of archeological findings. The local marble was also used for the construction of Poseidon’s and Amphitrite’s temple in “Kionia”, and the Tinian artists participated in the construction of the Sanctuaries in “Delos” island. Furthermore, the quarries of the noted green marble in Tinos operated since ancient times, mostly during the Roman and the Early Christian eras.

  The biggest development of the marble Art, took place after the Greek revolution, in 1830, when Tinos evolved so much as to become the largest centre of marble carving in Greece, but also one of the biggest for the whole world. The Tinian marble sculptors made their island famous worldwide by winning a high reputation. Tinos itself, with its high artistic status and natural beauty, inspired and still inspires every artist. The sinuous coasts, the nature-carved rocks, the peaceful banks but also the wild life surrendered to the maddening winds that carve any kind of rock into great shapes. Even the trees growing in the area, are a source of inspiration and they invigorate every visitor of the island. It is not strange that all kinds of artists come to the island to be inspired and creative. Some of them even settle here, founding their workshops.

The following factors have contributed to the development and progress of the Art of marble and stone carving:

• The social and financial conditions prevailing during long periods of time,

• The Venetian domination and Catholic Faith, that bolstered the marble sculpture and favoured the artworks in general
  

• The Tinian land, rich in precious stone, noted for its white and green marble (specifically on the north-western part of the island, where the quarries are located)

• The cohabitation with artists and sculptors that inspired the rest of the Tinian people and encouraged their inborn talent

• The scholarships issued by the Greek Holy Institution of the Annunciation of Tinos, that financed the studies of many artists abroad (among them, Ghizis and Lytras),

• Finally, the School of Fine Arts, that operated in the village of “Pyrgos”.

All the abovementioned conditions induced the locals to occupy themselves with marble and its artistry, supporting them along the way. It is not accidental that the marble-crafting profession was connected to that of the marble sculptor and artist. Indeed, according to evidence, the first organised marble workshop started operating in the village of “Pyrgos” during the 17th century. From then on, many workshops were created and the competition that was developed among them favoured their progress, while they reached the peak of their performance during the 19th century. The travels of local artists to other parts of Greece and abroad helped them in the creation of original and varied patterns of work. Artistic creation was extended to include many related kinds of activity and construction. Thus, today we come across masterpieces all over Tinos: in churches and their chancel screens, on house lintels or marble “coats of arms”, the marble fountains, the gravestones and grave monuments, that are everywhere and anywhere the local artist's inspiration could take him. The renowned Tinian sculptors, such as Giannoulis Halepas, Dimitris Fillipotis and many others, were well travelled and had dealt with many projects like the royal palace, the University, the Academy, the Polytechnic, the Archaeological Museum, the National Library, the Zappeio Mansion and elsewhere. Although marble sculpture and the relative workshops underwent a crisis in the middle of the last century, the return to the traditional values even for touristic purposes or for construction of residences based on the traditional Tinian houses, have supported the continuation of the marble sculpture tradition. These workshops exist mainly in the villages of “Pyrgos” and “Ysternia”, where the marble is produced.

The various museums of the island display some works of Tinian artists. Some more artistic creations can also be encountered around the villages, in case the visitor wants to discover the artworks of marble and other rocks, since they are everywhere to be found.

Marble lintels (or transoms)

The marble lintels (or transoms, according to another appellation) can be found all over the island. They comprise authentic creations of traditional builders and they are now directly connected with the Tinian traditional house. They are carved in marble, shaped as rectangles or semi-circles, always perforated. They follow various designs, offering better illumination and ventilation to the Tinian home. They are considered an improvement of the “alleviative triangle” of the Mycenaean period. Many of those lintels have maintained their original use in the village houses and the city of Tinos, until today. They are positioned over the exterior doors or even windows of the house, in order to lead the light into the darker rooms (traditional houses have a few and small openings). Those artworks, use decorative patterns, such as birds, ships,

flowers, fish and trees, usually of Venetian or Byzantine inspiration, being clear examples of the unique verve in Tinos. They have an important aesthetic value, they are the house adornment and they have a great significance in the world of Arts.

Besides the practical reasons for their existence, the transoms are a decorative element of the house façade. They even carried blazons or emblems of eminent families, but also protected the family with the inscriptions on them, with some of them averting evil. Furthermore, according to popular belief, the main entrance of the house has to be defended from perils and enemies. In some houses in Tinos we do not come across lintels at all. The main reason for their lack is financial difficulties of the owner, who could not afford something that added prestige to the household.

THRESHING AND WILLOWING

The visitor of Tinos has the chance to see and admire one more creation, made with superb craft and practical sense by the experts of the Tinian rock: the threshing ground. It has a circular shape with a 4-5 m diameter, is paved with floor slabs and is surrounded by short walls made of upright ashlars 50-60 cm high. Around the gap of the threshing ground, there is a stone string course. Outside the threshing ground, the farmer used to accumulate bundles of hay, which shape the cock of hey. In the beginning of July, threshing started. For this purpose, the farmer usually used two cows (sometimes one cow and one mule or donkey), which he put on the thrall, and after that he threw in the threshing ground 8-10 bundles of wheat and started threshing. That meant he paced the threshing ground in circles, while following the cattle and instigated them to run, for the hay to be rubbed and the corn to be separated from it. When he judged that the grain was well stepped on and crossed, he threw in new bundles (throwing), until the cock of hey was finished. While the threshing was done under the hot summer sun, the thresher received cool water, bread and cheese from the family members, who walked along with him on the string course.

The willowing followed the threshing, but in order for the farmer to willow, a light breeze had to blow. The test of the strength and direction of the wind was done by throwing some hay in the air. When the farmer saw fit, he started the willowing procedure, usually very early in the morning. With the fan (“muck fork” something like a wooden trident) he threw the hay high in the air and the wind swept it beside and outside the threshing ground, where a huddle of straw was created, which was later going to be carried to the barn, to feed the animals during winter. The harvested wheat and barleycorn, being heavier, fell down to the threshing ground, for their bolt to follow, firstly with the sharpener and then with the sieve for a more refined separation.

Afterwards, by means of large square tin buckets, which also consist a capacity unit, they stuffed sacks and that is how the harvest was transferred to the store room, and then to the mill for grinding.

CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS

The love of the Tinian people for their motherland has been unique, a fact that can be proven by the approximately 50 cultural associations existing today. There is no village or district in Tinos that does not have its cultural association. The beginning was made in 1876, when the “Fraternity of Tinians Living in Athens” was established at Alexandras and Asimaki Fotila Street. Abandoning rural Greece for a better life in the cities, resulted in depopulation of the countryside during the 50’s. This tendency brought many Tinian people to the capital city. Still, their love and longing for their village, their church, their school, their ancestral houses, induced them to create separate associations for every village. The first associations started appearing in the middle of the 40’s, like the ones of the villages “Karia” and “Kardiani”.

The causes they have endorsed are really varied and, to a great extent, a lot of the initiatives for the preservation of customs are owed to them. They also care about protecting the village architecture from external influences, when urban planning is concerned.

In addition to dealing with projects of common interest, their important contribution to the preservation of dove-cotes, paths, raki-brewing shops, windmills, threshing grounds and dry-stone walls, is worth mentioning.

Worthy of remark is also the arrangement of cultural events, by inviting well-known scholars to give speeches on educational, religious and cultural matters. The island visitor has the chance, mainly during the summer, to choose between a number of significant events to attend and, at the end of the event, enjoy Tinian hospitality

TINIAN PRESS

In 1877 the first newspaper of the island appeared under the name “Tinos” with Mr. Nik. Aggelidis as editor, while the “Voice of Tinos” followed, in 1881. During those 130 years, over 60 newspapers have been published, some with a lasting and others with a transitory presence. Their contribution in promoting the cultural inheritance of the island is very important, while they still are the link between Tinian people -wherever they are- and their birthplace. Furthermore, the Tinian Press blocked the progress of some initiatives that would cause a negative environmental impact, not hesitating to act against powerful interests. Until recently, the following newspapers and magazines were circulating:

“ The Cycladic Light”(1950)

“ Tinos Pharos”(1959)

“ Isterniotika”( News from Isternia)(1983)

“ Tinian Interests”(1993)

“ The Voice of Karya” (1998)

“ Kardiani News” (1999)

“ Mandata”( recent news in slang)(2000)

“ Tinian Hinterland” (magazine-2002)

“ Tinos Citizen” (news-letter of Tinos borough)

“ In action” (news-letter of Exoburgo borough)