HISTORY 

Starting from the mythology, there are two legends about the island of Mykonos. Originally said that during the giants' battle, Heracles killed the giants buried beneath the cliffs of Mykonos. Thus, the name identifies a rocky place, a stone. Of course, they could be missing the Gods of Olympus from the story. Thus, the second legend reveales that the name was given to the island by 'Mykonos' ,the son of the King of Delos Anios, descendant of Apollo and Dionysus.

Carians, Phoenicians, Egyptians and Minoans are the first inhabitants of the island in accordance with prehistoric finds. However, a decisive role in the development of the island will play the installation of the Ionians from Athens. They dominated the island until 1000B.C. There are currently reports of the existence of  two cities and the island in general was poor and agricultural. In ancient Mykonos the inhabitants worshiped gods Dionysus, Demeter, Zeus, Apollo, Poseidon and the demigod Hercules.

The island fell into the hands of the Romans and then the Byzantines who were on defense and infrastructure of Arab pirates from the 7th to the 12th century. Following the weakening of the Byzantine, Mykonos was given to Andrea and Jeremiah Gkizi.In 1292 the island was plundered by the Catalans and  in 1230, left in control of the Venetians from the last Gkizi. It consisted Venetian territorial acquisition with Tinos until the disastrous attack of Hayredin Barbarossa in 1537. During the Ottoman occupation, subject to the jurisdiction of Kapoudan Pasha the island has a self-administrative system.Mykonos has 'epitropous' and voivode who tried to keep balance between the Ottomans and Venetians. The Venetians are leaving the scene in 1718 with  the surrender of Tinos to Ottomans.The island due to its geographic location becomes a major refueling station for foreign merchant ships, while the population increased by residents of neighboring islands.

The Mykonos emerge as excellent sailors and participate actively in the uprising against the Ottomans (Orlofika). During the War of 1821, Mykonos led by the heroine Manto Mavrogenous island, zealously repel an attack squadron of the Turkish fleet (1822) and participate in the war, with four ships equipped.

Later Mykonos loses some of its strength and Mykonians migrate abroad. However, since 1930 after some important archaeological excavations and Mykonos attracts tha first visitors among them. Rapidly evolving into a cosmopolitan island, especially after the 1950 is being visited fanatically by celebrities who come from all over the world.Thus  a significant chapter in the tourist market is established.

Worth visiting is the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos with great finds from the early era of the excavations at Rhenia. Also interesting is the Maritime Museum of the Aegean and the  Agrotomouseio-Mili Boni, with exhibits concerning agricultural production.