Flora

On the hill Grivila near the village Ahlade there is built the church of Saint Fanourios. Approximately 100 meters from the church there is a special tree, which is connected with a religious tradition dating back from the ancient tree-worship traditions in Crete. The tree position is called Evresi (Finding) as they say that the miraculous icon of St. Fanourios was found here.

The ancient olive Tree of Vatolakkos is grafted onto wild olive subject. Because of its size it has been declared by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities as monumental. Access to it is very easy.

The Monumental olive grove of Amari is located at position Rovithis at Monastiraki, Amari Province and has been declared by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities as a natural monument. The several ancient trees are a dependency of the Agricultural School of Amari and unfortunately in 1980 about 1000 more ancient trees were uprooted.

This plane tree is located in the Roman cemetery of Ancient Lappa and below the chapel of Five Virgins. Below it there is a cool spring with five taps, symbolizing the Five Virgins that were killed here by the Turks. This plane tree has been declared as a natural monument.

Among the villages and Agii Deka and Mitropoli there are the ruins of ancient Gortyn. Gortyn was the largest and most populous city of Crete during the Roman era. At the same place we meet an important monument of nature. This is the monumental grove of Gortyn occupying a huge area and has centuries-old olive trees. A walk through the historic grove contains many sites of archaeological interest and natural beauty. The tour starts on the main street to Mires. Everywhere around we find piles of stones that once were parts of buildings, scattered fragments of ancient walls, scattered pieces of pottery and fallen pillars.

The Great Olive tree of Aerinos has been declared monumental by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities. It is located at an altitude of 700 meters near the settlement Felesina. The olive tree is impressive because apart from its age it has a special morphology with many stones embedded in the trunk.

Below this plane tree, that has been declared as nature monument, the 99 Holy Fathers settled after arriving to Crete from Egypt, Cyprus and Turkey. This is located inside the monastery if the 99 Holy Fathers. They say that its branches form 99 crosses.

The holly or Kermes oak is a species that resembles common oak. In Crete it is met in all mountainous regions and is one of the most common trees. The oaks are met in ranges of Crete, as they can grow in rocky and dry soils and withstand the extreme weather conditions there. Indeed, the beautiful oak forest of Rouvas is the largest grove of oaks in Europe.