Today, Greece’s landscapes are universally known; the immaculate white houses with their blue roofs are even one of the main reasons tourists set out to explore this Mediterranean country. But have you ever wondered why these dwellings scattered across the Greek islands are blue and white? To remedy the stifling and unlivable interiors, locals began to paint their houses white to reflect the sun’s rays and cool the rooms. Thus, explains Real Greeks, to limit the risk of large-scale transmission, past governments encouraged residents to paint their houses white. In 1974, six years after the coup, the military dictatorship adopted a law requiring that island houses be painted white and blue to represent the patriotic colors of the country, explains the Greek media outlet In.