Tarsanas

This is an important historical place of Syros, where the traditional art of wooden shipbuilding is maintained. The shipbuilders were transferred in 1870 in this area ("New Shipyard") that was much bigger than what it is today. Construction was limited during the interwar but various types of vessels still came out of Tarsanas. The final blow to wooden shipbuilding was given with the prevalence of plastic in the manufacturing of hulls. Traditional shipbuilders like the family of Maurikoi and Euangelos Tzortzis maintain the tradition till nowadays by using new equipment.

In the workshop of Maurikoi the "parlor" is still maintained. It is a wooden floor on which designs were drawn in natural size. This design method was used in the major shipyards in the late 18th century.

The presence of the first master builders from Chios arrived at Syros in 1823. After the destruction of Psara (1824) more of them followed. The shipyard workers participated in all the struggles of the working force and along with the tanners, they organized the strike of 1879, which is considered to be the first organized strike in the Greek history.

 

Ermoupolis, 841 00, Syros