the small number of secure and easy to build on places, protection from the hard weather conditions (heavy hurricanes in winter and solar heat in summer), a shelter from the many pirates of the area, and also scarcity of construction material.
But complimenting the Cycladic style there are other influences on the island. |
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One fine example of this is the Kastro area in Pyrgos. The aged stone walls at the centre of the village are in contrast to the small houses nearby and you can still see the remains of the castle itself. Windows and doors within the Kastro area faced inwards to protect from attack. Another fine example, is the Venetian castle of Akrotiri and the Kasteli castle.
From an architectural point of view, some of the most important characteristics of the construction style in Santorini are the caves that were built in the hill and in prolongation of each house.
These caves also kept an average temperature during the entire year. Because of the volcanic history and terrain of Santorini, many houses had some, or most of their interior, made by burrowing into the rock.
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hotel complexes.
These houses are located in the charming villages of Fira, Firostefani and Oia.
While there is some fantastic architecture on the island it is not always uniform. Indeed some of the locations like the main street in the town, the Akrotiri lighthouse and the village of Kamari offer more nontraditional examples such as the Archondiko Argyrou Mansion. |
If you visit the 
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