Explore Cretan

History

Crete’s strategic location at the crossroads of the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean is the main reason for the continuous claim of the island by many occupants.

Crete managed to keep its unique and strong character till today. Religion, glorious history and the wild Cretan terrain formed the personality of Cretans, who held their Greek soul after many centuries of slavery. Apart from the scattered archaeological sites and monuments of spiritual wealth, the visitor has the chance to see the rare and priceless findings of excavations at the various museums and collections throughout the island.

Crete is the birthplace of Zeus, the ruler of the gods, people and hospitality. Even today the hospitality of the Cretans is more than a ritual. The first European civilization, the Minoans, emerged here between 2800 BC and 1400 BC. Even today, the palaces of Knossos, Phaestus, Malia and Zakros reflect the splendor of the Minoan civilization through the masterpieces of architecture, pottery, gold, silversmithing and painting. The most powerful fleet in the then known world, as evidenced by the different findings across the Mediterranean, brought wealth to Crete from trading the famous Cretan cypress and its agricultural products. This brilliant course was terminated in 1400 BC when the Achaeans and the Dorians made their presence on the island, founding new towns (eg Lato, Polyrhenea) and gave the baton to the Classical Greek civilization.

After the conquest of Crete by the Romans, the capital moved to Gortys, which subsequently became the capital of the Roman province of Crete and Cyrene. During his journey to Rome, Saint Paul stopped in Crete and proclaimed Christianity, beginning a century-old monastic tradition in more remote areas. The island became an important Christian center as depicted in hundreds of religious monuments, scattered everywhere.

In 824AD Crete was conquered by the Arabs, who turned Candia (today’s Iraklion) to a base for pirate attacks in the Mediterranean Sea. After many failed attempts, the Byzantines managed to release Crete in 961, under the commands of the later emperor Nikiforos Fokas, giving a new impetus in Christian tradition on Crete.

After the conquest of Constantinople by the Crusaders in 1204, the Venetians became the new rulers of Crete until 1669. During this period Crete experienced a great economic and spiritual wellbeing. The big cities were rebuilt, decorated with amazing monuments and fortified with massive walls. Moreover, the art reached its apogee with great personalities from the field of hagiography, as El Greco (Dominikos Theotokopoulos) and Michael Damaskinos. Moreover, literature, music and theater thrived and produced masterpieces, like Erotokritos and Erofili. All these were abruptly interrupted in 1669 when Candia, Crete’s last stronghold, surrendered after the longest siege in history by the Ottomans.

Successive revolutions and bloody battles led to the autonomy of Crete in 1897. In 1913 Crete became part of the Greek territory, honoring the longed dream of all Cretans for the Union with Greece. During the Union of Crete, the politician Eleftherios Venizelos came into foreground, who would later become the greatest leader that ever ruled Greece. The struggles, however, of the Cretans did not end here, as the Cretan glory emerged in the Battle of Crete in 1941 and from the ashes of the dozens of villages burnt by the Germans. Thousands of Cretans were executed with their fearless gaze towards the barrel of the German guns, helping to turn the scales in favor of the Allies.

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Prinaris Mill

In the central square of the village Chromonastiri is the old oil mill of Prinaris family, fully renovated, with all its old equipment that can work till today.

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Grammeni Koules

At the small valley of Kamares - Grigoria - Magarikari were the Koules of Grammeni and the Koules of Kremastos. The first was built between Grigoria and Magarikari, next to the current road. It is in good condition, with almost all of its roof surviving.

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Venetian Mansion at Karydi

The Venetian villa and the Venetian olive mill are located in the Monastery of Saint George at Karydi. The villa and the adjacent mill date back to the period 1650-1750. The mansion has undergone subsequent restorations, which have not been altered seriously its original form.

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Vrouhas Windmills

One of the large windmill parks of Merambelo district is located at Vrouhas village and consists of nine mills. They all turned only in a certain wind and their type is called Axetrocharis (this has rectangular shape with a round side where the mill is installed). In Crete we meet another type, Xetroharis that is completely circular, turning to all winds.

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Kissos Fountain

What characterizes the village Kissos in the province of Agios Vasilios in Rethymnon, like all the villages located in the root of Kentros mount, are the many water springs. In the central square of the deserted village we meet the beautiful square with the old plane tree. Geroplatanos (Old plane tree) are actually two plane trees close to one another, and one specifically is one of the biggest in Crete and has a really impressive trunk.

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Elliniki Kamara at Vrisses

Elliniki Kamara (i.e. Greek Arch) is an arched bridge built in the Hellenistic Era with some later additions (Venetian and Ottoman Era). The name comes from Hellenistic Kamara. The opening of the arc is 11.10m long, 8.40m high and has a width of 3.00m.

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Gerokambos Domed Tomb

At Gerokambos (Sacred Place) west of Lendas in 1959 three vaulted tombs were found, with the largest (diameter 5.10m) looted and empty. In front of the entrance, a hall was full of people and animal bones, charcoal and cups. In a second tomb figurines, daggers, vases, seals and beads were found.

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