Wednesday Wanderings: Churches of Chora, Mykonos

Though Mykonos is touted as a "party island" to tourists, its mythological significance is far more interesting to me.  According to Greek mythology (the version I learned anyway), the island was  where Zeus fought the Titans and later, where Hercules defeated the giants.  The giant boulders of the island is said to be composed of the petrified corpses of these vanquished foes.  Hence the island came to be known as "Mykonos", which means "mass of stones".

Cool.

(The other version is that it was named after the island's first ruler, Mykon, son of Apollo.  But that's just boring.)

Chora (translated as "the town") of Mykonos is absolutely gorgeous.  Don't be surprised if I say this many times about many countries in my future travel posts.  I'm a hopeless, wanderlusting, travel-ridden philanderer of countries and I flirt with the beauty in every country.  My camera ends up happy, though my wallet ends up feeling betrayed. 

Anyway.  Here are some beautiful churches I came across while exploring Chora:

Agios Nikolakis (St. Nicholas) is to the right with its bright blue dome

Panagia Paraportiani (Church of Our Lady Of The Side Gate) is the most well-known by tourists and is the one usually depicted on Mykonian postcards.  The entrance of the church opens up to the side gate of the Kastro neighborhood of Chora.  Note the giant stones (petrified giant/titan corpses!) of the island.

Another view of Panagia Paraportiani

While Agios Nikolakis has its pretty blue dome and Panagia Paraportiani has its picturesque location by the sea, I found the Agia Kyriaki to be the prettiest, though it is not as well-known.  The bright red domes and door, oxidized-green copper bells, and patriotic blue flagpole beautifully contrast with the whitewashed foundation of the church.

Staring into the sun is ill-advised, but when the light crests over the shining cross of Agia Kyriaki, I just had to take a chance!  

Definitely worth the blurry stars dancing around my peripheral vision afterward.

-NK-

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Pssst... the one that looks like this!

Thanks for stopping by, and Bon Voyage!