Peristeriones, the artistic pigeon houses

Peristeriones is the Greek word for Dovecotes, the wonderful pigeon houses of the 18th and 19th Centuries found in various Greek islands of the Cyclades. Especially in Tinos they are considered as unique masterpieces of art, becoming the island’s trademark.
Introduced by the Venetians, the Peristeriones are fortress-like stone structures decorated with geometric patterns such as squares, triangles and rhomboids as well as flowers, trees, circles and initials of the owner.
The Peristeriones were consisting of two floors; the lower one was a warehouse whereas the upper floor was housing the pigeons. They were usually built on slopes of the countryside protected from the wind and near cultivated areas with an easy access to the water.
The dovecotes were a symbol of noble origin and economic prestige. The owners used to build them with the purpose to attract and breed pigeons for their tasty meat and their dropping, a top quality fertilizer. Today, they are a traditional work of art that keeps inspiring us with its unique beauty!