Hydra, Saronic Islands
Encyclopedia
Hydra is one of the Saronic Islands
of Greece
, located in the Aegean Sea
between the Saronic Gulf
and the Argolic Gulf
. It is separated from the Peloponnese
by narrow strip of water. In ancient times, the island was known as Hydrea (Υδρέα, derived from the Greek word for "water"), which was a reference to the springs on the island.
The municipality Hydra consists of the islands Hydra (area 50 km2), Dokos
(pop. 13, area 12.5 km2) and a few uninhabited islets.
There is one main town, known simply as "Hydra port" (pop. 2,526 in 2001). It consists of a crescent-shaped harbor, around which is centered a strand of restaurants, shops, markets, and galleries that cater to tourists and locals (Hydriots). Steep stone streets lead up and outwards from the harbor area. Most of the local residences, as well as the hostelries on the island are located on these streets. Other small villages or hamlets on the island include Mandraki (pop. 33), Kamini, Vlychos (28), Palamidas (18), Episkopi, and Molos (2).
s and catamaran
s from Piraeus
, some 37 nautical miles (68.5 km) away, serve Hydra, as do daily island ferry boats. (The ferries take about three hours for the transit; the hydrofoils and catamarans substantially less.) The island also has ferries to Aegina
, Poros
, Spetses
, Nafplion
and Monemvasia
.
Garbage trucks are the only motor vehicles on the island, as cars or motorcycles are not allowed by law. Donkeys, bicycles, and water taxis provide public transportation. The inhabited area, however, is so compact that most people walk everywhere.
Hydra benefits from numerous bays and natural harbours, and has a strong maritime culture. The island remains a popular yachting destination, and is the home of the Kamini Yacht Club
, an international yacht club based in the port of Kamini
.
The Tombazi mansion is now part of the School of Fine Arts.
The mansions of Lazarus and George Kountouriotis, Boudouri, Kriezi, Voulgari, and Miaouli all contain collections of 18th Century island furniture. The descendants of Lazarus Kountouriotis donated his mansion to the Historic-Ethnologic Institute of Greece. Today, it operates as extension branch of the National Museum of History.
monasteries. Two particularly noteworthy monasteries are Profitis Ilias
, founded in the 19th Century, and Ayia Efpraxia. Both are on a hill overlooking the main harbour.
The island's Cathedral is the old Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin and sits on the quayside in the town. The Monastery contains the tomb of Lazarus Koundouriotis, the richest sea captain on Hydra, who gave his entire fortune to support the Greek War of Independence
.
There is evidence of farmers and herders from the second half of the third millennium BCE, on the small flat areas that are not visible from the sea. Obsidian
from Milos
has also been found. During the Helladic period
, Hydra probably served as a maritime base for the kingdoms on the Greek peninsula. Fragments of vases, tools, and the head of an idol have been found on Mount Chorissa.
The large-scale Dorian
invasion of Greece around the 12th Century BCE appears to have resulted in a depopulation of the island. Hydra was repopulated by farmers and herders, perhaps sailing from the mainland port of Ermioni
, in the 8th Century BCE. Herodotus
reports that towards the 6th Century BCE, the island belonged to Ermioni, which sold it to Samos
. Samos, in turn, ceded it to Tizina
.
For much of the past, Hydra has stayed on the margins of history. The population was very small in ancient times, and except for the brief mentions in Herodotus and Pausanias, has left little or no record in the history of those times.
It is clear that Hydra was populated during the Byzantine Era, as vases and coins have been discovered in the area of Episkopi. However, it appears that the island again lost its population during the Latin Empire of Constantinople
as the inhabitants fled the pirate depredations. On other islands, inhabitants moved inland, something that was essentially impossible on Hydra.
Between 1204-1566 it belonged to Venice. From 1566 to 1821 (nominally 1829), it was part of the Ottoman Empire.
In the sixteenth century, the island began to be settled by refugees, Greek and Albanian, due to the warfare between the Ottomans and Venetians. The Arvanites' presence was evident until the mid-20th century, when according to T. Jochalas the majority of the island's population was composed of Arvanites
. The island is known in Arvanitika
as Nίδρα.
and the Ottoman Empire limited the island's maritime development until after 1718 and the Treaty of Passarowitz
. From the 17th Century on, Hydra began to take on a greater importance due to its trading strength.
During the first half of the 18th Century, Hydra built the same kind of vessels as were built in the other Aegean Islands
. These were the sachtouri of 15 to 20 tons, and the latinadiko of 40 to 50 tons. The Hydriots contented themselves with trading in the Aegean, going as far as Constantinople
. The great change occurred in 1757 after they launched a vessel of 250 tons. The larger boats enabled Hydra to become an important commercial port. By 1771, one could count up to 50 vessels from throughout Greece in the roads
. Ten years later the island had fitted out 100 vessels.
However, the Ottoman Empire and its policies constrained Hydra's economic success. Heavy tariffs and taxes limited the speed of development. The Ottoman administration limited free trade; the Ottomans permitted only Ottoman vessels to navigate the Dardanelles
and the Bosphorus, and hence have access to the Black Sea
, its ports, and the trade in grain from their hinterlands. The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca
changed all this. Russia
gained from the Ottoman Empire the right to protect the Empire's Orthodox Christians. The religious protection had a commercial corollary: the Hydriots began to sail under the Russian flag. The Treaty also provided for free passage between the Aegean and the Black Sea. Hydra entered its commercial era. Hydriot vessels carried goods between Southern Russia in the east to the Italian ports of Ancona
and Livorno
in the west. From 1785 on, the Hydriote shippers began to engage in commerce, not just transport. Each vessel became its own small commercial enterprise and quickly trade with the Levant
began to depend on Hydra's vessels, though not without competition from those of Spetses
and Psara
.
However, the plague of 1792 killed a large part of the population, and many people moved away. As a result the town was almost completely abandoned for a while. Still, by the end of the 18th century Hydra had again become quite prosperous as its vessels trading as far as France, Spain and even the Americas. Napoleon presented the island with the huge silver chandelier in the cathedral as a gesture of gratitude for the Hydriots' role in running the British blockade and so bringing food to France and Europe.
and Spetses
were able to wrest control of the Eastern Aegean Sea
from the Ottoman Empire
.
When the Greek War of Independence
broke out, Hydra's contribution of some 150 ships, plus supplies, to fight against the Turks played a critical role. The Greek admiral Andreas Miaoulis, himself a settler on Hydra, used Hydriot fire ships to inflict heavy losses on the Ottoman fleet.
With the end of the revolution and the creation of the Greek state, the island gradually lost its maritime position in the Eastern Mediterranean, igniting an economic crisis which led to a period of hardship and unemployment. The main reason was that with the creation of the Greek state, its fleet lost the privileges which the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca and the use of the Russian flag gave it. Another reason was that the traditional families who owned the majority of the fleet failed to foresee the benefits in participating in the steam ship revolution that significantly cut shipping operational costs through reduced crew and independence of the winds, putting them at a disadvantage vis-á-vis the new shipping companies of Piraeus
, Patras
and Syros
. A third reason was that the new conditions made illegal activities such as piracy impossible. Once again many of the inhabitants abandoned Hydra, leaving behind their large mansions and beautiful residences, which fell into ruin. The mainstay of the island's economy became fishing for sponge. This brought prosperity again, at least until 1932 when Egypt forbade fishing along its coast. By the Second World War the Hydriotes were again leaving the island, many of whom went abroad.
There are many types of wild flowers including rare 'spentzes' or cyclamen
and poppies
. As well as pine trees there are cypress and olive trees. Birds species include partridge
s, quail
s, and many migratory birds which are subject to local hunting. Mammals include rabbits, feral
cats and goats. There are also said to be some reptiles and amphibians.
Although the island's name is derived from ancient springs known to the Ancient Greeks, it is now almost dry. Hydra previously had wells, and three new wells have been found. Today, the island imports its water by boat from the Greek mainland, but a new desalinization plant is now finished but not in operation. Many local people store winter rainfall in cisterns beneath their houses, to be used later as drinking water.
A savage fire during the intense heat of 2007 destroyed much of the pine forest to the east of Hydra port. However, the fire left untouched some forest above Kamini and at the west end of Hydra. The forest around Molos, Bisti, and Agios Nikolaous were also unaffected.
The island has almost no night-time light pollution. This is a boon to astronomy.
The island hosts an annual conference on Rebetiko
, a type of Greek urban folk music, that is held in mid-October.
In June 2009 the important art collector Dakis Joannou
opened a Hydra branch of private art museum, the Deste Foundation
. It intends to show the work of already established young artists.
Saronic Islands
The Saronic Islands or Argo-Saronic Islands is an archipelago in Greece, named after the Saronic Gulf in which they are located, just off the Greek mainland. The main inhabited islands of this group are Salamis , Aegina, Angistri, and Poros...
of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, located in the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
between the Saronic Gulf
Saronic Gulf
The Saronic Gulf or Gulf of Aegina in Greece forms part of the Aegean Sea and defines the eastern side of the isthmus of Corinth. It is the eastern terminus of the Corinth Canal, which cuts across the isthmus.-Geography:The gulf includes the islands of; Aegina, Salamis, and Poros along with...
and the Argolic Gulf
Argolic Gulf
The Argolic Gulf is a small gulf off the east coast of the Peloponnese, Greece, opening into the Aegean Sea. Its main island is Spetses. This gulf and its islands are sometimes combined with the Saronic Gulf and Saronic Islands, with the result called the Argo-Saronic Gulf and the Argo-Saronic...
. It is separated from the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
by narrow strip of water. In ancient times, the island was known as Hydrea (Υδρέα, derived from the Greek word for "water"), which was a reference to the springs on the island.
The municipality Hydra consists of the islands Hydra (area 50 km2), Dokos
Dokos
Dokos is also a village in the central part of the prefecture of Rodhopi, see Dokos , GreeceDokos is a small Greek island of the Argo-Saronic Gulf, adjacent to Hydra, and separated from the Peloponnese by a narrow strait called on some maps "the Hydra Gulf." It is part of the municipality of Ýdra ...
(pop. 13, area 12.5 km2) and a few uninhabited islets.
There is one main town, known simply as "Hydra port" (pop. 2,526 in 2001). It consists of a crescent-shaped harbor, around which is centered a strand of restaurants, shops, markets, and galleries that cater to tourists and locals (Hydriots). Steep stone streets lead up and outwards from the harbor area. Most of the local residences, as well as the hostelries on the island are located on these streets. Other small villages or hamlets on the island include Mandraki (pop. 33), Kamini, Vlychos (28), Palamidas (18), Episkopi, and Molos (2).
Transport, tourism and leisure
Hydra depends upon tourism, and Athenians comprise a sizeable segment of its visitors. High speed hydrofoilHydrofoil
A hydrofoil is a foil which operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to airfoils.Hydrofoils can be artificial, such as the rudder or keel on a boat, the diving planes on a submarine, a surfboard fin, or occur naturally, as with fish fins, the flippers of aquatic mammals, the...
s and catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
s from Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
, some 37 nautical miles (68.5 km) away, serve Hydra, as do daily island ferry boats. (The ferries take about three hours for the transit; the hydrofoils and catamarans substantially less.) The island also has ferries to Aegina
Aegina
Aegina is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born in and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great sea power of the era.-Municipality:The municipality...
, Poros
Poros
Poros is a small Greek island-pair in the southern part of the Saronic Gulf, at a distance about 58 km south from Piraeus and separated from the Peloponnese by a 200-metre wide sea channel, with the town of Galatas on the mainland across the strait. Its surface is about and it has 4,117...
, Spetses
Spetses
Spetses is an island and a municipality in the Islands regional unit, Attica, Greece. It is sometimes included as one of the Saronic Islands. Until 1948, it was part of the old prefecture of Argolidocorinthia, which is now split into Argolis and Corinthia...
, Nafplion
Nafplion
Nafplio is a seaport town in the Peloponnese in Greece that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf. The town was the first capital of modern Greece, from the start of the Greek Revolution in 1821 until 1834. Nafplio is now the capital of the peripheral unit of...
and Monemvasia
Monemvasia
Monemvasia is a town and a municipality in Laconia, Greece. The town is located on a small peninsula off the east coast of the Peloponnese. The peninsula is linked to the mainland by a short causeway 200m in length. Its area consists mostly of a large plateau some 100 metres above sea level, up to...
.
Garbage trucks are the only motor vehicles on the island, as cars or motorcycles are not allowed by law. Donkeys, bicycles, and water taxis provide public transportation. The inhabited area, however, is so compact that most people walk everywhere.
Hydra benefits from numerous bays and natural harbours, and has a strong maritime culture. The island remains a popular yachting destination, and is the home of the Kamini Yacht Club
Kamini Yacht Club
The Kamini Yacht Club is a yacht club based on the island of Hydra in Greece. The club is commonly known by the acronym KYC.Its principal clubhouse is situated in Kamini port, with secondary clubhouses in London and Cornwall for overseas members...
, an international yacht club based in the port of Kamini
Kamini
Kamini, as a name, can refer to:* A settlement and port on the island of Hydra in Greece* Kamini , a French rapper* KAMINI, a research reactor in India* Kamini Yacht Club, an international yacht club* Kamini Roy, a Bengali poet and feminist...
.
Captains' mansions
The Tsamadou mansion on the left-hand side of the harbour as one enters is now a Maritime Academy.The Tombazi mansion is now part of the School of Fine Arts.
The mansions of Lazarus and George Kountouriotis, Boudouri, Kriezi, Voulgari, and Miaouli all contain collections of 18th Century island furniture. The descendants of Lazarus Kountouriotis donated his mansion to the Historic-Ethnologic Institute of Greece. Today, it operates as extension branch of the National Museum of History.
Monasteries and the Cathedral
There are numerous churches and six OrthodoxEastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
monasteries. Two particularly noteworthy monasteries are Profitis Ilias
Profitis Ilias
Profitis Ilias is a neighborhood of Athens, Greece....
, founded in the 19th Century, and Ayia Efpraxia. Both are on a hill overlooking the main harbour.
The island's Cathedral is the old Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin and sits on the quayside in the town. The Monastery contains the tomb of Lazarus Koundouriotis, the richest sea captain on Hydra, who gave his entire fortune to support the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
.
Pre-history, antiquity, and the Byzantine Era
Hydra has never been linked to any Greek legend, god, hero, or mythological event.There is evidence of farmers and herders from the second half of the third millennium BCE, on the small flat areas that are not visible from the sea. Obsidian
Obsidian
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock.It is produced when felsic lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimum crystal growth...
from Milos
Milos
Milos , is a volcanic Greek island in the Aegean Sea, just north of the Sea of Crete...
has also been found. During the Helladic period
Helladic period
Helladic is a modern archaeological term meant to identify a sequence of periods characterizing the culture of mainland ancient Greece during the Bronze Age. The term is commonly used in archaeology and art history...
, Hydra probably served as a maritime base for the kingdoms on the Greek peninsula. Fragments of vases, tools, and the head of an idol have been found on Mount Chorissa.
The large-scale Dorian
Dorian
The Dorians were one of the four major ethnē into which the Ancient Greeks, or Hellenes, of the Classical period considered themselves divided. Ethnos has the sense of ethnic group. Herodotus uses the word with regard to them...
invasion of Greece around the 12th Century BCE appears to have resulted in a depopulation of the island. Hydra was repopulated by farmers and herders, perhaps sailing from the mainland port of Ermioni
Ermioni
Ermioni is a small town and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ermionida, of which it is a municipal unit. It is a popular tourist resort. It is on a very small out-cropping of the land facing the island of...
, in the 8th Century BCE. Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
reports that towards the 6th Century BCE, the island belonged to Ermioni, which sold it to Samos
Samoš
Samoš is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Kovačica municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,247 people .-See also:...
. Samos, in turn, ceded it to Tizina
Troezen
Troezen is a small town and a former municipality in the northeastern Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Troizinia, of which it is a municipal unit....
.
For much of the past, Hydra has stayed on the margins of history. The population was very small in ancient times, and except for the brief mentions in Herodotus and Pausanias, has left little or no record in the history of those times.
It is clear that Hydra was populated during the Byzantine Era, as vases and coins have been discovered in the area of Episkopi. However, it appears that the island again lost its population during the Latin Empire of Constantinople
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
as the inhabitants fled the pirate depredations. On other islands, inhabitants moved inland, something that was essentially impossible on Hydra.
Between 1204-1566 it belonged to Venice. From 1566 to 1821 (nominally 1829), it was part of the Ottoman Empire.
In the sixteenth century, the island began to be settled by refugees, Greek and Albanian, due to the warfare between the Ottomans and Venetians. The Arvanites' presence was evident until the mid-20th century, when according to T. Jochalas the majority of the island's population was composed of Arvanites
Arvanites
Arvanites are a population group in Greece who traditionally speak Arvanitika, a dialect of the Albanian language. They settled in Greece during the late Middle Ages and were the dominant population element of some regions of the Peloponnese and Attica until the 19th century...
. The island is known in Arvanitika
Arvanitika
Arvanitika also known Arvanitic is the variety of Albanian traditionally spoken by the Arvanites, a population group in Greece...
as Nίδρα.
The period of commercial and naval strength
Hydra was relatively unimportant during much of the period of Ottoman rule. Its naval and commercial development began in the 17th Century, and its first school for mariners was established in 1645. Apparently, the first truly Hydriot vessel was launched in 1657. However, the conflict between the Republic of VeniceRepublic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
and the Ottoman Empire limited the island's maritime development until after 1718 and the Treaty of Passarowitz
Treaty of Passarowitz
The Treaty of Passarowitz or Treaty of Požarevac was the peace treaty signed in Požarevac , a town in Ottoman Empire , on 21 July 1718 between the Ottoman Empire on one side and the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria and the Republic of Venice on the other.During the years 1714-1718, the Ottomans had...
. From the 17th Century on, Hydra began to take on a greater importance due to its trading strength.
During the first half of the 18th Century, Hydra built the same kind of vessels as were built in the other Aegean Islands
Aegean Islands
The Aegean Islands are the group of islands in the Aegean Sea, with mainland Greece to the west and north and Turkey to the east; the island of Crete delimits the sea to the south, those of Rhodes, Karpathos and Kasos to the southeast...
. These were the sachtouri of 15 to 20 tons, and the latinadiko of 40 to 50 tons. The Hydriots contented themselves with trading in the Aegean, going as far as Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. The great change occurred in 1757 after they launched a vessel of 250 tons. The larger boats enabled Hydra to become an important commercial port. By 1771, one could count up to 50 vessels from throughout Greece in the roads
Roadstead
A roadstead is a place outside a harbor where a ship can lie at anchor. It is an enclosed area with an opening to the sea, narrower than a bay or gulf. It has a surface that cannot be confused with an estuary. It can be created artificially by jetties or dikes...
. Ten years later the island had fitted out 100 vessels.
However, the Ottoman Empire and its policies constrained Hydra's economic success. Heavy tariffs and taxes limited the speed of development. The Ottoman administration limited free trade; the Ottomans permitted only Ottoman vessels to navigate the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
and the Bosphorus, and hence have access to the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
, its ports, and the trade in grain from their hinterlands. The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca
Treaty of Kucuk Kaynarca
The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca was signed on 21 July 1774, in Küçük Kaynarca , Dobruja between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire after the Ottoman Empire was defeated in the...
changed all this. Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
gained from the Ottoman Empire the right to protect the Empire's Orthodox Christians. The religious protection had a commercial corollary: the Hydriots began to sail under the Russian flag. The Treaty also provided for free passage between the Aegean and the Black Sea. Hydra entered its commercial era. Hydriot vessels carried goods between Southern Russia in the east to the Italian ports of Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
and Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
in the west. From 1785 on, the Hydriote shippers began to engage in commerce, not just transport. Each vessel became its own small commercial enterprise and quickly trade with the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
began to depend on Hydra's vessels, though not without competition from those of Spetses
Spetses
Spetses is an island and a municipality in the Islands regional unit, Attica, Greece. It is sometimes included as one of the Saronic Islands. Until 1948, it was part of the old prefecture of Argolidocorinthia, which is now split into Argolis and Corinthia...
and Psara
Psara
Psara is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. Together with the small uninhabited island of Antipsara it forms the municipality of Psara. It is part of the Chios peripheral unit, which is part of the North Aegean Periphery. The only town of the island and seat of the municipality is also called...
.
However, the plague of 1792 killed a large part of the population, and many people moved away. As a result the town was almost completely abandoned for a while. Still, by the end of the 18th century Hydra had again become quite prosperous as its vessels trading as far as France, Spain and even the Americas. Napoleon presented the island with the huge silver chandelier in the cathedral as a gesture of gratitude for the Hydriots' role in running the British blockade and so bringing food to France and Europe.
The Greek War of Independence and the decline
In the 19th Century, Hydra was home to some 125 boats and 10,000 sailors. The mansions of the sea captains that ring the harbor are a testament to the prosperity that shipping brought to the island which, at the date of the Revolution, had 16,000 inhabitants. During the Greek Revolution, the fleets of Hydra and the other two naval islands of PsaraPsara
Psara is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. Together with the small uninhabited island of Antipsara it forms the municipality of Psara. It is part of the Chios peripheral unit, which is part of the North Aegean Periphery. The only town of the island and seat of the municipality is also called...
and Spetses
Spetses
Spetses is an island and a municipality in the Islands regional unit, Attica, Greece. It is sometimes included as one of the Saronic Islands. Until 1948, it was part of the old prefecture of Argolidocorinthia, which is now split into Argolis and Corinthia...
were able to wrest control of the Eastern Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
from the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
When the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
broke out, Hydra's contribution of some 150 ships, plus supplies, to fight against the Turks played a critical role. The Greek admiral Andreas Miaoulis, himself a settler on Hydra, used Hydriot fire ships to inflict heavy losses on the Ottoman fleet.
With the end of the revolution and the creation of the Greek state, the island gradually lost its maritime position in the Eastern Mediterranean, igniting an economic crisis which led to a period of hardship and unemployment. The main reason was that with the creation of the Greek state, its fleet lost the privileges which the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca and the use of the Russian flag gave it. Another reason was that the traditional families who owned the majority of the fleet failed to foresee the benefits in participating in the steam ship revolution that significantly cut shipping operational costs through reduced crew and independence of the winds, putting them at a disadvantage vis-á-vis the new shipping companies of Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
, Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
and Syros
Syros
Syros , or Siros or Syra is a Greek island in the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. It is located south-east of Athens. The area of the island is . The largest towns are Ermoupoli, Ano Syros, and Vari. Ermoupoli is the capital of the island and the Cyclades...
. A third reason was that the new conditions made illegal activities such as piracy impossible. Once again many of the inhabitants abandoned Hydra, leaving behind their large mansions and beautiful residences, which fell into ruin. The mainstay of the island's economy became fishing for sponge. This brought prosperity again, at least until 1932 when Egypt forbade fishing along its coast. By the Second World War the Hydriotes were again leaving the island, many of whom went abroad.
Second World War
Between 1941 and 1943, during the Axis occupation of Greece during World War II, there was famine on Hydra. It is estimated that some eight percent of the population died of starvation.Historical population
| Year | Town population | Municipality/Island population |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 2,732 | - |
| 1991 | 2,279 | 2,387 |
| 2001 | 2,526 | 2,719 |
Topography and ecology
The dominant geographic features of Hydra are its rocky hillsides, which are bare, pine forested valleys with the occasional farmhouse. The island was subject to a modern geologic study by Renz in 1955. Some of the later Permian limestone strata are rich in well-preserved fossils.There are many types of wild flowers including rare 'spentzes' or cyclamen
Cyclamen
Cyclamen is a genus of 23 species of perennials growing from tubers, valued for their flowers with upswept petals and variably patterned leaves...
and poppies
Poppies
Poppies can refer to:*Poppy - the plant*The Poppies - multiple uses*"Poppies", a song by Patti Smith Group from their 1976 album Radio Ethiopia*"Poppies", the first track on the debut album by Marcy Playground....
. As well as pine trees there are cypress and olive trees. Birds species include partridge
Partridge
Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are a non-migratory Old World group.These are medium-sized birds, intermediate between the larger pheasants and the smaller quails. Partridges are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East...
s, quail
Quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
s, and many migratory birds which are subject to local hunting. Mammals include rabbits, feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
cats and goats. There are also said to be some reptiles and amphibians.
Although the island's name is derived from ancient springs known to the Ancient Greeks, it is now almost dry. Hydra previously had wells, and three new wells have been found. Today, the island imports its water by boat from the Greek mainland, but a new desalinization plant is now finished but not in operation. Many local people store winter rainfall in cisterns beneath their houses, to be used later as drinking water.
A savage fire during the intense heat of 2007 destroyed much of the pine forest to the east of Hydra port. However, the fire left untouched some forest above Kamini and at the west end of Hydra. The forest around Molos, Bisti, and Agios Nikolaous were also unaffected.
The island has almost no night-time light pollution. This is a boon to astronomy.
Cultural life
The Hydrama Theater and Arts Center hosts performances, drama and dance workshops for the local community and courses in ancient Greek theater for international participants.The island hosts an annual conference on Rebetiko
Rebetiko
Rebetiko, plural rebetika, , occasionally transliterated as Rembetiko, is a term used today to designate originally disparate kinds of urban Greek folk music which have come to be grouped together since the so-called rebetika revival, which started in the 1960s and developed further from the early...
, a type of Greek urban folk music, that is held in mid-October.
In June 2009 the important art collector Dakis Joannou
Dakis Joannou
Dakis Joannou born 1941 is a Greek Cypriot industrialist and art collector based in Greece. He owns hotels and a construction business and has been a major international distributor of Coca-Cola "across 27 countries, from Greece to Switzerland to Russia to Nigeria."-Life and career:Joannou is...
opened a Hydra branch of private art museum, the Deste Foundation
Deste Foundation
Deste Foundation or Deste Foundation, Centre for Contemporary Art is an arts foundation in Athens, Greece. Housing the massive collection of Greek businessman Dakis Joannou, it organizes exhibitions by emerging and established international contemporary artists...
. It intends to show the work of already established young artists.
Notable people
- Andreas MiaoulisAndreas Vokos MiaoulisAndreas Vokos, nicknamed Miaoulis , was an admiral and politician who commanded Greek naval forces during the Greek War of Independence ....
(1768–1835) admiral and politician - Laskarina BouboulinaLaskarina BouboulinaLaskarina Bouboulina , 11 May 1771 - 22 May 1825) was a Greek naval commander, heroine of the Greek War of Independence in 1821, and posthumously, an Admiral of the Imperial Russian Navy.-Early life:...
(1771–1825) heroine of the Greek War of Independence - Iakovos TombazisIakovos TombazisIakovos "Yiakoumakis" Tombazis was a merchant and ship-owner from the Greek island of Hydra who became the first Admiral of the Greek Navy during the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire . Tombazis' date of birth is not known but some historians suggest 1782. He was the son of...
(1782–1829) merchant, ship-owner and admiral - Georgios KountouriotisGeorgios KountouriotisGeorgios Kountouriotis was a Greek ship-owner and politician who served as prime minister from March to October 1848. He was born in 1782 on the Saronic island of Hydra to an Arvanite family...
(1789–1858) politician, Prime Minister of Greece - Lazaros Kountouriotis gave up his fortune to arm a Greek navy during the Greek War of Independence.
- Antonios KriezisAntonios KriezisAntonios Kriezis was a Prime Minister of Greece from 1849 to 1854. Kriezis was descended from a well-known Arvanite family from the island of Hydra and was born in Troezen in 1796. In July 1821, he served in the Greek navy during the Greek War of Independence and took part in the naval battles...
(1796–1865) revolutionary fighter and one of the first Greek Prime Ministers - Dimitrios VoulgarisDimitrios VoulgarisDimitrios Voulgaris was a Greek revolutionary fighter during the Greek War of Independence of 1821 who became a politician after independence. He was nicknamed "Tsoumpes" after the distinctive Ottoman-style robe he wore.Voulgaris was born on December 20, 1802 on the island of Hydra in the Saronic...
(1802–1878) revolutionary fighter, Prime Minister of Greece - Athanasios MiaoulisAthanasios MiaoulisAthanasios Miaoulis was a Prime Minister of Greece. Born in Hydra in 1815 the son of the famous Greek admiral Andreas Miaoulis, from whom he learned his navigation skills. Moreover, Athanasios learned much about naval affairs from reading the letters of Phillip Ioannou. He finished military school...
(1815–1867) Prime Minister of Greece - Nikolaos VokosNikolaos VokosNikolaos Vokos was a Greek painter of the Munich School art movement.- Biography :He was the son of Emmanouil Miaoulis and a grandson of Admiral Andreas Vokos Miaoulis. He was initially enrolled in the Cadet School, but on discovering his passion for painting he left it to study at the Athens...
(1854–1902) painter - Pavlos KountouriotisPavlos KountouriotisPavlos Kountouriotis was a Greek admiral and naval hero during the Balkan Wars and the first and third President of the Second Hellenic Republic.-Family Background:The Kountouriotes was a prominent Arvanite family from the island of Hydra...
(1855–1935) naval hero, admiral and President of Greece - Nikolaos VotsisNikolaos VotsisNikolaos Votsis was a Greek naval officer who distinguished himself during the Balkan Wars and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral.- Life :Votsis was born in the island of Hydra to a family that had participated in the Greek War of Independence. His studies at the Naval Academy were followed in...
(1877–1931) naval hero and admiral - DorotheusDorotheus of AthensDorotheus was Archbishop of Athens and All Greece from 1956 to 1957. He was born in Hydra in 1888 and studied theology at the University of Athens, from where he graduated in 1909. He then studied law at the Universities of Athens and Leipzig, and specialised in ecclesiastical law...
(1888–1957) Archbishop of Athens and All Greece - Nikos NikolaouNikos NikolaouNikos Nikolaou was a major figure in Greek art during the 20th century.In 1929 Nikolaou is admitted into the Athens School of Fine Arts where he studied under Konstantinos Parthenis and Umbertos Argyros....
(1909–1986) artist - Gikas N. Koulouras Shipowner, member of Parliament, philanthropist, founder and first President of the Greek Shipowners Association
- Panayiotis TetsisPanayiotis TetsisPanayiotis Tetsis is a major Greek painter. Tetsis is a genuine exponent of the post-impressionistic seascape tradition.- Life and work :...
(1925) painter - Leonard CohenLeonard CohenLeonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
(1934) Canadian poet and song-writer - Michalis Maniatis (1952) film and TV actor, producer, screen and book writer
- Rallou ManouRallou ManouRallou Manou was a noted Greek choreographer and modern dancer. She lived on the island of Hydra.She led the Hellenic Choreodrama, a group that presented dance-dramas based on Ancient Greek literature. Her works were often performed at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus of Athens...
, choreographer - Emmanuel Tombazis
- Elena VotsiElena VotsiElena Votsi is a Greek jewelry designer. She worked for Gucci for three years before opening her own boutique in Athens.In 2003 she designed the Athens 2004 Olympic Medal...
(b. 1964), jewellery designer - Anastassios Tsamados, Captain of the Arès, who died in the Battle of Sphacteria (1825)Battle of Sphacteria (1825)The Battle of Sphacteria was fought on 8 May 1825 in Sphacteria, Greece between the Egyptian forces of Ibrahim Pasha and Greek forces led by Captain Tsamados along with Mavrocordatos.-Battle:...
, holding off the Egyptian-Turkish landing force. - Dimitrios VoulgarisDimitrios VoulgarisDimitrios Voulgaris was a Greek revolutionary fighter during the Greek War of Independence of 1821 who became a politician after independence. He was nicknamed "Tsoumpes" after the distinctive Ottoman-style robe he wore.Voulgaris was born on December 20, 1802 on the island of Hydra in the Saronic...
- Axel JensenAxel JensenAxel Buchardt Jensen was a Norwegian author. From 1957 until 2002 he published both fiction and non-fiction texts which include novels, poems, essays, a biography, manuscripts for cartoons and animated films....
(1932–2003) Norwegian author - George JohnstonGeorge JohnstonGeorge Norman Johnston was a politician elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the first time in 1921, He served as Speaker of the Alberta Legislature from 1921 to 1936. He was defeated in 1935 when Social Credit swept to power...
(1912–1970) Australian journalist, novelist and writer - Charmian CliftCharmian CliftCharmian Clift was an Australian writer and essayist during the mid 20th century. She was the second wife and literary collaborator of George Johnston.-Biography:...
(1923–1969) Australian novelist and writer - Göran TunströmGöran TunströmGöran Tunström was a Swedish author. He grew up in Sunne, Värmland County. Tunström's style is personal and intimate, and has a clear autobiographical tone...
(1937–2000) Swedish author
Books about or set on Hydra
- The Colossus of Maroussi, Henry Miller (1941)
- Rien ne va plus (The Sleepwalker), Margarita Karapanou (1994)
- Clouds over Hydra, Charles Young (1996)
- Fugitive Pieces, Anne Michaels (1996)
- The Riders, Tim Winton (1996)
- Hydra and the Bananas of Leonard Cohen, Roger Green (2003)
- Rhubarbs from a Rock, David Fagan (2003)
- Lighthousekeeping, Jeannette Winterson (2006)
- Hydra, Catherine Vanderpool (1980)
Movies filmed on Hydra
- Girl in Black (Greece 1956)
- Boy on a DolphinBoy on a DolphinBoy on a Dolphin is a 1957 20th Century Fox romantic film set in Greece and made in CinemaScope. It was directed by Jean Negulesco and produced by Samuel G. Engel from a screenplay by Ivan Moffat and Dwight Taylor, based on the novel by David Divine....
(1957). Hydra was the setting for this Sophia LorenSophia LorenSophia Loren, OMRI is an Italian actress.In 1962, Loren won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women, along with 21 awards, becoming the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance...
hit movie. - Phaedra (1962)
- Island of Love (1963)
- Incense for the Damned (1970)
- Out of the Shadows (1988)
- The Blue Villa (Un Bruit Qui Rend Fou) (1995)
- Boat Trip (2002)
- Fugitive PiecesFugitive Pieces (film)Fugitive Pieces is a 2007 drama film directed by Jeremy Podeswa, who also adapted the film from the award-winning novel of the same name written by Anne Michaels. The film tells the story of Jakob Beer, who is orphaned in Poland during World War II and is saved by a Greek archeologist...
(2007)
External links
- Hydra Island - Photographs of Stevan Kordić
- Hydra - Ydra Island Travel Guide