Symi
Where the island reflects history and beauty
Memories of Symi island
Marmita publications
Makris, P. G. 2007
“And Nireus brought three ships from Symi, the son of Aglaea and Charopus – Nireus, who was the handsomest man that came up under Ilius of all the Danaans after the son of Peleus, but he was a man of no substance, and had but a small following”.
Homer’s Iliad, B671-675
A. Brelich, Symaika 1977
“The people of Symi are the boldest and most experienced divers in the world; they dive 20-30 fathoms deep (150 feet) into the sea and collect the sponges that grow on the rocks ”.
C.S Sonnini de Manoncourt 1772, French sightseer
B. j. Slot, Symaika 1977
“The inhabitants’ main income comes from sponge fishing. The sponges that they fish are brought to all parts in the East, from were they are transferred to most places in Europe”.
B. Randolph 1671, English Sightseer
B. j. Slot, Symaika 1977
“Symi has a large village built like a town, with five hundred houses and six beautiful and well-built churches. There are no Turks here and that is why church bells are allowed. There are many chapels and a few monasteries on the mountains”.
Vasili Engorovic 1702-1747, Russian monk and sightseer
B. j. Slot, Symaika 1977
“We passed by Symi island, which is a large rock in the middle of the sea that is densely populated by Greeks who go sponge fishing in these waters. From a very young age, these people are accustomed to swimming so well that before a young man gets married, he must be able to dive twenty fathoms deep and stay underwater for a long time”.
Vincent de Stochove 1650, Belgian politician and traveller
B. j. Slot, Symaika 1977
“At around 1780, wealthy homes were built on the village outskirts. The village’s six churches became seven in 1789 and eight in 1793. The catholicon of Panormitis was renovated from its foundations (1783) and a host of churches and monasteries were renovated and decorated with frescoes”.
A. Karakatsani – K. Farmakidis 1992
The Hatziagapitou Hall on Symi
