IRAKLIA > ARCHITECTURE

Here, all the buildings have been cleverly adapted to the residents daily needs and in a spectacular way have included the simple beauty of the Cycladic landscape.

Conditions for survival were hard and today we marvel at the wisdom and ingenuity of the inhabitants regarding the economy of materials which were limited due to the minimal internal spaces of their homes. Buildings were adapted to the shape of the land as deep excavations were not possible. They used the natural character of the land to provide protection against wind and cold so that their architecture became a part of the landscape and nature itself.

When visitors take a walk through a traditional settlement, they have the impression that they are in a labyrinth and that surrounded by a fascinating setting for a movie.

It is an unforgettable experience to walk through the maze of narrow cobbled streets, whitewashed facades of unsystematically built houses and churches, continuous whitewashed square, low buildings which have been built in harmony with the land.