PANAGIA PARAPORTIANI CHURCH

It is the postcard, par excellence, of the island. Everyone takes pictures of it and it is better to arrive early to enjoy a clear horizon, away from the clouds and especially from the curious! But what an amazing church! This beautiful asymmetrical Byzantine building, a true masterpiece of popular architecture, is a must-see. Indeed, it is difficult to remain insensitive to this immaculate church, whitewashed, with improbable curves in the district of Kastro. Tourists linger there, inevitably, scrutinizing the building from every angle and watching its shapes evolve according to the different lights of the day. It is located in the center of the port. One comes and goes because you will never see exactly the same shapes or reflections twice. This is part of its charm. It stands just a stone's throw from the little Venice, so simple and so sophisticated at the same time. Normal: the church of the Panagia Paraportiani is unique in its kind, even if, on closer inspection, there are actually five of them that contribute their stones to the building: the church of the Panagia Paraportiani is in fact made up of an assembly of five different chapels, one of which is slightly elevated. Here, no traditional golden or blue Greek dome: the church is topped by a bell tower and a dome, entirely whitewashed. The church was built on a hill fortified by the Venetians, of which there are still some remnants of the ramparts, and offers great photographic opportunities: as a subject, of course, but also as a promontory facing the sea, as it offers a breathtaking view of the Aegean Sea. Knowing that "Panagia Paraportiani" literally means "Our Lady of the Side Gate", we understand that it is a visit that is not to be refused on the island of Mykonos - and is not to be forgotten either... Finally, Panagia Paraportiani is not only a set of beautiful stones: it remains above all the most important of the 400 churches and chapels present throughout the island. Built by an anonymous craftsman in the ^17th or ^18th century, it displays a typical architecture and a mixture of popular Byzantine and Western elements.