Why does Greece have white buildings?

In the late 1930s, Greece was suffering from a cholera epidemic, and the nation's leader at the time, Ioannis Metaxas, ordered all Greek citizens to whitewash their houses. The whitewash used to paint the outside of citizens' homes contained limestone, which happens to be a potent disinfectant.



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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.

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In response to a 1938 cholera outbreak, the government ordered citizens to whitewash their homes in order to slow the spread of the disease. At the time, disinfectant cleaning products were not widely available in the islands, but they had plenty of whitewash.

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Greece is commonly referred to as the cradle of Western civilization and for good reason, as one of the things that Greece is known for is its remarkably preserved ruins, as well as its many archaeological museums, like the superb National Archaeological Museum in Athens, which depict ancient architecture, culture, and ...

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What this means is that the sculpture and architecture of the ancient world was, in fact, brightly and elaborately painted. The only reason it appears white is that centuries of weathering have worn off most of the paint.

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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.

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This might sound strange today, but the whitewash used to paint the houses contained limestone. Limestone is a powerful disinfectant, and not many others were in common use at the time. Greek citizens thus whitewashed their homes to help sanitize them and reduce the spread of cholera.

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Whether you opt for a delicate lace gown or a bohemian-inspired dress, white will always create a sense of timeless beauty against the island's idyllic scenery. Soft Pastels: Serenity in Hues Pastel shades like blush pink, baby blue, and mint green are perfect for those seeking a softer, romantic look.

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The regime at the time believed that recognizable colors would encourage patriotism and nationalism, and soon a law was passed requiring houses on the Greek islands to be painted blue and white.

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This glorious blue colour is due partly to the reflection of the blue skies and partly to the fact that the sea does not contain large quantities of solid matter such as plankton, mud and dust floating in the water. The way in which the Greek Sea sparkles is like no other the world over.

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