Dovecotes

The Venetians held Tinos for over four hundred years, as it was key to their naval advantage in the Aegean, and while they were here they raised doves. The doves were for food but the dovecotes they raised them in were raised for status.

(Don’t even get me started on the Venetians - we’re learning so much about them on these trips).

Only the ruling nobles were allowed to build dovecotes and their size and decorative embellishments were signs of a family’s taste and wealth.

The Venetians fell to the Ottomans who ruled Tinos with a minimal presence and a lighter hand and farming and working families across the island built their own dovecotes. They’re everywhere. And they’re beautiful.

We visited a particular valley that has several of them a couple days ago and were delighted to find a little self guided event hosted by a group of local foodies that included local delicacies, access to the inside of some of the dovecotes, art installations and party favors.

The outsides are whitewashed and decorated with riffs on a range of geometric designs.

One cote had a film of an old Greek couple describing the care and daily routines of raising doves and the dove dishes they served at their wedding.

We crawled into one and in the dusty dark there was a small square screen framed by weathered wood with a slow motion video of a dove in flight.

Another was taller than the rest and had many many paper doves hanging from its ancient beamed ceiling.

Local foods, served with the requisite retsina, under a tent in the sun...and our party favor - a scroll with a quote from the film with the local farmer.

Who knew? the Tinos dovecote: a peculiar, practical, lovely and wholly unique architecture, found only on Tinos.

- david