Hydra
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Hydra
Background
Hydra or Idhra (Ύδρα) is a very popular and picturesque island on the NW of Peloponnese.
Hydra as well as with Spetses and Psara were the most important Greek sea powers during the 1821 revolution which resulted in Greece's independence from the Ottoman rule. Hydra not only had the largest fleet of sailing vessels but was the home of Admiral Miaoulis and many other important captains. Hydra is a barren island and in antiquity was not very important. It was purchased in the 6th century BC by the famous Tyrant of Samos, Polykcrates but was not settled until the 15th century AD when Greek and Albanians fleeing the tyranny of Ali Pasha of Epirus moved in the island. Since there were hardly any resources for significant cultivation, they turned to the sea for trade, smuggling and piracy. By the 18th century the island had a fleet of 150 vessels and a wealthy population of 25,000. During the war of independence they were so successful that Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt called Hydra "Little England."
After the revolution, with the establishment of the Greek state, piracy was suppressed. This combined with the advent of steamships resulted in a decline of Hydra. Its inhabitants turned to sea again mostly sponge fishing but again the combination of a sponge disease and declining markets further depressed the island's economy. In the 1950's Hydra was the location of the film Boy on a Dolphin with Sofia Loren. Following this film the island was "discovered" and an artist colony was established spearheaded by the very successful Greek painter Hadjikyriakos Ghikas. Artists flocked here from all over the world and bought houses and Hydra became as famous as St. Tropez and Portofino. There are no roads and no cars in Hydra and that has saved the island. Despite its fame, it is still a very attractive place.
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External Links
- Hydra (Wikipedia)
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