The two and three story houses of Mikri Venetia that spill out onto the sea were built at the height of Mykonos' prosperity in the 18th century for captains of ships and were called "kapetaneika". They are yet another reminder of the island's rich maritime past. She gained a large naval fleet during the Greek War of Independence against the Ottomans (1821-1832), which helped her launch a successful nautical industry.