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.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 3.80 (10 Votes)
German War cemetery at Maleme

The 4465 Germans, mainly paratroopers, who were killed during the Battle of Crete, were buried in the German Military Cemetery of Maleme (Deutschen Soldatenfriedhof in Maleme). It is the second German military airport in Greece, as there is another one near Athens.

Read more ...
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.89 (9 Votes)
Fourni Minoan Cemetery

The archaeological site of Fourni is located on the homonym wooded hill, 17km south of Heraklion and west of Kato Archanes. To get there (the site is not open, but you could contact the guard), you could walk along the Minoan path starting from Kato Arhanes or drive to the beautiful artificial grove of Fourni.

Read more ...
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 2.67 (6 Votes)
El Greco Museum

The museum of the painter Domenikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco) is located opposite the Byzantine Church of Panagia at position Theotokiana, by Fodele.

Read more ...
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 2.60 (5 Votes)
Ancient Apollonia (Agia Pelagia)

At the cape of Souda, above the shrine on the beach of Agia Pelagia we see some traces of the excavations carried out by Stylianos Alexiou. At this point he discovered the most important archaeological site of the wider area, the Prytaneum of the Hellenistic town of Apollonia (or maybe Panormos).

Read more ...
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 3.40 (5 Votes)
Monument and Museum of German Attrocities in Viannos

The position of Meliana by village Amiras hosts one of the many memorials of the German atrocities experienced by the Cretans during the Second World War and a small museum next to it. This commemorated one of the most violent massacres of German Occupation in Greece, the holocaust of Viannos district.

Read more ...
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 3.00 (9 Votes)
Historical and Folklore Museum of Gavalohori

The museum was founded in 1968 and was officially opened in September 1993. It is housed in a building that is a typical sample of the local architecture and is housed on two floors: the ground floor with a balcony, internal yard, an arched house with auxiliary rooms and a mezzanine.

Read more ...
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.67 (3 Votes)
Voukelasi Koules (Pikilasos)

This is one of the several Turkish towers (koules) that the Turks built in the late 19th century in order to control the south shores of Crete. This is ruined and has amazing views to the surrounding areas.

Read more ...
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 4.00 (8 Votes)
Psira Islet

Psira is a small uninhabited islet located 1 mile north of Tholos beach, situated at the northeastern edge of the Gulf of Mirabello. In Psira a Minoan settlement of 15-20 acres has been found, being one of the most important sites in Crete.

Read more ...

Also read:

Download Free Premium Joomla Templates • FREE High-quality Joomla! Designs BIGtheme.net