Religious Architecture and Insularity in the Byzantine, Frankish, and Ottoman Aegean: The Case of Andros

The chapter considers the religious monuments of the Aegean island of Andros which are broadly dated to the Byzantine, Frankish, and Ottoman eras. They were built either in the period from the eleventh to the thirteenth century, or from the late thirteenth to the seventeenth century. Their distinct features, shaped by the local conditions and historical settings, eventually formed the island’s monumental repository and character. Ultimately, this chapter invites the reader to study the religious architecture of Andros through a completely new viewpoint and offers two proposals: first, we cannot interpret these churches unless we examine them both as parts of the wider built environment and as fully integrated within the physical, social, cultural, and historical landscapes. Second, the buildings and their perceived changes are direct reflections of an insular framework. The aim is, therefore, to demonstrate in practical terms how these monuments are tangible witnesses of the changes and interactions between the island and the wider Mediterranean world.