Location information

Architecture

  Siphnos' settlements are characterised by a great variety, since the town planning in the area of Castro, for instance, is completely different from the other areas, because it has a strictly defensive character.
  Castro's settlement, despite the years that have passed by, still maintains its medieval character unchanged, with the narrow lanes full of marble sarcophagi, 'lontzies' (gates through which one enters the settlement) and of course the remains of the castle which used to dominate on its top. Most of the houses are two- and three-storeyed, open from one side to the other, with a great number of marble relieves carved inside their walls.
  Most traditional settlements are concentrated on the island's central plateau, resulting in their borders being difficult to discern, giving the impression of a continuous settlement having no beginning and no end. There is a traditional pedestrian zone starting at Artemonas and reaching down to Katavati, passing through the settlements of Ano Petali and Apollonia, while a stone paved road is also connecting Aghios Loukas with Exambela, Kato Petali and Castro.
  One main feature of these settlements is their coherent cubic architecture of Cycladic style and the white colour. Another fact characteristic of the Cyclades is the existence of numerous snow-white churches, incorporated in the settlements and consisting their integral parts. The area of Artemonas is also renown for its noble houses.
 ll along its coasts, there are settlements developed parallel to the seashore. The first buildings were old pottery shops with furnaces, which were built near the beach so that the caiques (small fishing boats) could have direct access to load the ceramics.Many of them remain open until today.
  The 'themonies' (haystacks), together with the 'peristeriones' (pigeon houses) are the local rural houses. They usually have one room with few auxiliary spaces, such as cellars for storing products, a winepress, a stable and often a threshing floor.

This text is cited August 2004 from the Municipality of Sifnos URL below, which contains images

• http://www.sifnos.gr/en/arxitechtoniki.html (4 img.)