DREAM / The Prime Minister resigns and wakes up under the Parisian bridge!

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

Why are the houses on the Greek islands blue and white?

2024-07-08 10:38:48Lifestyle SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Why are the houses on the Greek islands blue and white?

Many people know blue and white as the iconic colors of Greece. These are the colors of the flag. They are also the light colors of the sea and sky, which are synonymous with the beautiful Mediterranean.

However, on the islands, the characteristic house colors of blue and white are not based on color symbolism within Greece. In fact, there are several reasons behind this iconic feature of Greek island architecture. Many houses on islands such as Mykonos, Santorini, Paros and Naxos were originally built of stone. This was a practical decision as wood was not easy to find on the rocky Aegean islands.

However, the rocky terrain is darker in color. This was a problem during the sunny Greek summer. Sunlight hitting the houses would be absorbed by the dark stone, making the interior unbearably hot.

Therefore, the inhabitants began to paint the stones white to cool the interior spaces. The process was successful, resulting in cooler and more comfortable homes on the islands.

In 1938, a national order decreed that the island's houses be painted blue and white. At the time, Greece was suffering from a cholera epidemic during the dictatorship of Ioannis Metaxas. In an effort to curb the disease, he ordered citizens to paint their houses. This may sound strange today, but the lime used to paint the houses contained limestone. The citizens of Greece painted their houses in this way to disinfect them and reduce the spread of cholera.

Although blue is the most common color for doors and windows, it is not the only one. In fact, if you walk around many of the islands, you'll notice accents of red, green, and brown in addition to the blue. It all depends on the price. Fishermen and other sailors painted their windows and doors with what was left after painting their boats. Because of its ingredients, blue was usually the cheapest color available.

The beauty of the colors of Greek island houses became mandatory during the military dictatorship that took power in Greece in 1967. The regime believed that these colors would inspire patriotism and reflect Greek nationalism. Finally, in 1974, a law was passed mandating Greek island houses to be painted blue and white. Although these rules have now been relaxed, the blue and white colors of the Greek islands have become a great lure for tourists. Therefore, many islanders still paint their houses in these colors. Basically, for practical reasons they started using these colors and because they are good for tourism.


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×