Why do Greeks paint houses blue?

Why do Greeks paint houses blue? The blue and white colors of Greek island houses were initially chosen for practical reasons to cool the interiors and reflect heat. Blue became prevalent for doors and shutters as it was the cheapest paint color available to fishermen and sailors.

Why is blue so important in Greece?

Blue became prevalent for doors and shutters as it was the cheapest paint color available to fishermen and sailors. The military dictatorship enforced the blue and white coloring of Greek island houses, inspired by notions of patriotism and Greek nationalism.

What is the color theory in Greece?

Greek philosophers thought in terms not of three, but of four, basic colors: black, red, yellow and white: yet little or no attention has been paid to this conception as a system of thought.

Why are houses in Greece so close together?

The traditional two-story dwelling is an ingenious construction, striking the perfect balance between form and function. The towns of Nisyros typify Greek Aegean settlements, with houses clustered close to each other for shade and protection from the strong Aegean winds.

What did the color blue mean in ancient Greece?

It turned out that it wasn't just the Ancient Greeks who never said the sky was blue. None of the ancient languages had a proper word for blue. What we now call blue was once subsumed by older words for black or for green.

Why do Greek houses have domed roofs?

It mainly had to do with construction reasons. Domes in general are one of the first structural forms humans worked with in stone architecture. Spherical domes are used in Greece from appx. 5,800 BC.

Why are houses white and blue in Greece?

During the colonel's dictatorship from 1967 to 1974, the junta established by Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos and Brigadier General Stylianos Pattakos mandated blue and white as standard colors for Cycladic homes. This was an attempt to boost patriotism and reflected Greek national pride.

Why are houses white in Santorini?

At the beginning of the 20th century, during the war, serious deceases, like cholera, plagued the Greek islands. Whitewash is a cheap, disinfectant material that was used regularly to limit the contagion. Back to that era, it was probably the most effective or even the only medium available for disinfection.