⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗

Major cities of Crete are home to impressive architectural structures, mainly from the Venetian and the Ottoman Era. Forts, scenic harbors, palaces, fountains and temples are the main attractions of the cities. On the other hand, the interesting attractions in the hinterland include arched bridges, water and wind mills, aqueducts, cisterns and chapels.

Venetian and Ottoman architectural patterns, combined with features of folklore architecture, are evident in contemporary houses. Arched gates since the Venetian era, and sahnisi (protruding covered balcony) since the Ottoman era, are some of the features used even today.

The traditional rural house is an evolution of the prehistoric home dwelling; it is constructed with stone, branches and soil, while wooden beams support the roof. To the interior, there is space for animals, while the main features include a stone-built wine press covered by with a wooden platform, a fireplace for cooking and heating, and some niches in the walls for storing household utensils.

Some of the most interesting traditional buildings, perfectly adapted to the needs and particularities of the mountainous areas of Crete, are mitata. They are round domed buildings, made solely of dry stone, being an evolution of the domed Minoan tombs. Mitata provided shelter to shepherds and were used for milking goats and cheese-making. They are met in all ranges of Crete, but Nida plateau near Anogia is the most famous place to come across such constructions.

Kryopotamos Bridge

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The stone bridge of Kryopotamos, near Myrtos, was built in 1884 and has three large arches. It is such a masterful construction, so that it has been declared as a work of art.

Fortetsa aqueduct

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It is one of the aqueducts of the 15km long Venetian aqueduct starting from Archanes and carrying water to the Fountain of Lions, in the center of Heraklion. There is one emblem and an inscription at the central part of the bridge.

Mothiana fountain

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The fountain of Mothiana is among the most beautiful of the entire Crete and is located at the point a small spring gushes and the water is the basic source of water supply of the settlement. The beautiful stone fountain is built with local stone and bears and engraved date of 1882. The front part has some decorative elements and it also has a second water outlet on the left side.

Kaki Rachi Bridge

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The stone built bridge and the watermill at Kakia Rahi position are both monuments protected by the Greek State. They are landmarks in the area, associated with memories of the locals. They are both special constructions that combine rigorous morphological solutions.

Katakalou Windmills

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Within walking distance from the ruined village Argiro Nero, between the villages Zenia and Exo Potami we meet the small cluster of windmills of Katakalou. The mills are located in the same residential complex of Katakalou among vineyards and orchards. The mills operated after the destruction of the larger mill park of Zaroma, west of Mesa Potami.

Agia Roumeli Bridges

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Near Agia Roumeli there are two arched stone bridges. Here we see a Venetian stone arched bridge that has been secluded in the stream, with both of its sides destroyed. We can still discern a auxiliary arch which has been filled by the debris of the river. There is another smaller bridge a few meters to the north.

Paliomylos watermill at Gonies

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Just a few meters out of the village Gonies at province Malevizi, on the road that leads to the beautiful village Kamaraki with the two wonderful caves, we meet Paliomylos (Old Mill). The Paliomylos is one of the many mills that once decorated the ravines of the island

Korita Spring at Pemonia

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Half a mile north of the very picturesque village Pemonia we meet the area Korita. Therein lies one of the many springs of water that irrigate the land of Apokoronas. The area around is full of ancient platan, cypress, olive and walnut trees. At the point of the spring there is a very picturesque old stone fountain built with the soft limestone of the region and two carved stone troughs.

Architecture

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