Pilgrimage Tourism

The numerous churches and monasteries of Sifnos are closely related to the history, the architectural tradition and the religious – social life of the island.

A solid proof of the religious tradition of the Sifnians is the number of churches and monasteries existing on the island. This number is the highest in comparison to any other island of the Cyclades, relative to the size of the island, and it is said that “…in Sifnos there are over 360 churches, one for every day of the year”.

Many of the churches and the monasteries of Sifnos are of high architectural and religious interest and they have been designated as historical monuments. The ecclesiastic committees and the “management committees” look to the maintenance of the churches and monasteries, even if they are situated in areas that are not accessible by vehicles, with remarkable reliability and by offering – in many cases – voluntary work.

Sifnos was very wealthy in ancient times, thanks to its gold and silver mines. Proof of this, is the treasury which the Siphnians built at Delphi in the 6th century BC to house their offerings. However, it appears that something went wrong with the mines; either they were worked out or flooded by the sea -we do not know which- and their production ceased. In ancient times, Siphnos’s wealth was measured by the gold and silver it produced, in the last two centuries it can be measured by its cultural output.

More information about Sifnos: http://www.sifnos.gr/