Church of Panagia Paraportiani, Mykonos, Greece Poster

The Church of Panagia Paraportiani in Mykonos, literally meaning “Our Lady of the Side Gate”, takes its name from its location next to the side entrance to the mediaeval castle of the capital. The church is one of the most characteristic Cycladic architectural monuments and one of the most photographed Greek churches; a complex formed through time by unknown craftsmen who gradually turned a pile of rubble into an architectural masterpiece utterly compatible with the Aegean landscape. The present day church is actually made up of five attached churches. Located in the Kastro quarter at the edge of the port, Panagia (Our Lady) Paraportiani is regarded as the jewel of Mykonos. The name Paraportiani is delivered from the word paraporti “little door” in the Mykonian dialect) because it was built besides the gate to the old mediaeval castle. The Byzantine church, built above Aghios Efstathios, is distinguished by its exceptional form, asymmetrical mass and low, stepped bell tower. The entire complex, combined with the marks left by time, stands as an exceptional monument that is considered a leading example of Cycladic popular architecture.