|
ANTIQUITIES
 CHANIA
APTERA: One of the most important cities of
ancient (7th cent BC) western Crete. Aptera was built on a site 15km from Hania, south of
Souda bay, near the village of Megala Horafia, which had a view of the whole plain of
Hania. The city walls still standing today are reminiscent of the Ctyclopean walls of
Tiryns and Mycenae, One can also see the remains of a small 1st cent. BC temple of
Demeter, a Roman thetre and the enormus vaulted cicterns of the roman period - according
to one source they were used for grain storage - preserved in excellent condition.
FALASSARNA: This town, the port of Polyrhenia, lay to the west of it in
the base of the extreme northwest peninsula of the district of Hania. The ruins remained
of the Cyclopean walls, tombs, house foundations, sculptures carved out of the rocks, most
notably a throne, are found near the village of Koutri.
POLYRCHENIA: The ruined walls and Acropolis of Polyrhenia lie 49km
west of Hania, near seli or Paleokastro. At Kria Vrissi, near Kissamos (Kastelli), are the
remains of a Roman aqueduct. Polyrhenia an important western Cretan city, was founded with
the help of Archaeans, who succeeded the Minoans as the overlords of the island.
LASSITHI
 Dreros (Driros), 16 Km. Northwest of Agios
Nikolaos. The archaeological site of the ancient Greek city comprises two acropolises with
an Archaic agora between them. South of the Agora is a temple from the Geometric period ,
the Delphinion, dedicated to Apollo, as well as a large cistern dug between the late 3rd
and early 2nd century B.C.
Gournia, 19 km southeast of Agios Nikolaos 15 Km. North of Ierapetra, the best
preserved of the Minoan settlements and one of the most noteworthy archaeological sites in
Crete. It appears to date from 1550-1450 B.C. The ruins of the town include small houses
and a small palace on top of a hill; even the narrow streets and connecting stairways have
survived amidst the foundations of the houses.
Itanos (Ermoupoli). Finds from a big Greek-Roman) city. Kato Zakros , 117 km southeast of Agios
Nikolaos is the site of a luxurious Minoan palace, the fourth in significance on the
island, which produced a number of important finds, now in the Iraklio Archaeological
Museum. This palace, which covered 7.000 to 8.000 sq. m. and contained royal apartments,
storerooms and various work-shops, and the nearby city were destroyed around 1450 B.C by a
violent earthquake, most probably the one that caused a whole section of the island of
Santorini to sink into the sea.
Zakros was a major Minoan naval base, which established trading
connections with Egypt and Anatolia. It was from here that Minoan farming estates, two
sacred peaks, a cemetery and cave tombs have been discovered.
At koufonissi an islet in the south of the district are the remains of a
Greek-Roman city.
Lato, 15 km. west of Agios Nikolaos, is spread out on the slopes of two
Acropolises. Founded in the 7th century B.C. it was one of the most powerful
cities in Crete in its Heyday. The ruins include the city walls, houses and shops from
different periods built on terraces.
Makrigialos Finds from villas from the Minoan and Greek-Roman eras.
Mirtos Remains of Minoan settlements.
Palekastro 90 km. east of Agios Nikolaos 20 km. from Sitia, at Roussolakos, has
some remains of a port settlement.
Petras Ruins of a Minoan city.
Psira. Islet in the north of the district with ruins of a Minoan settlement.
RETHYMNO
ARMENI: A Minoan cemetery with tombs carved out of rocks has been
unearthed.
AXOS: Finds of a big Greek Roman city
ELEFTHERNA: Recent excavations held at the area brought to light
important monuments from a Greek-Roman city.
ZOMINTHOS: A Minoan settlement has been discovered at the Nida plateau,
20 km from Anogia.
HERAKLIO
 Agia Trias : 2,5-3 km, west of Phestos, were found the ruins of a royal villa,
which most probably was the summer palace of the Phestos rulers. Certain of the more
important pieces on exhibit in the Iraklio archaeological museum are the larnax, the
Harvester vase, and the impecably painted frescoes , come from this site.
Amnissos: 7.5km east of Iraklio, the Minoan port of Knossos. It
was there that archaeologists found the villa of the frescoes of Amnissos, also called the
villa of the Lillies.
Archanes: 15km south of Iraklio. Excavations in the village
brought to light a well preerved building that must have been a summer palace.
Anemospilia In the foot hills of Holly mountain of Yiouchta was
discovered a Minoan sanctuary sacred not only to Archanes but to Knossos as well. Gortyn (Gortis)
45 Km south of Iraklio. A city that flourished particularly during the Roman era, Gortyn
was the capital of the Roman province of Crete and Cyrenaica. It had its origins in the
Minoan era, as testified by the ruins of a 16th c, B.C. farmhouse, which has
been excavated. The most distinctive monuments are the Praetorium (2nd c. AD), residence
of the Roman governor of the province, and the Nyphanion (2nd c. AD), where the
Nymphs were worshipped; the temple of Pythian Apollo the sanctuary of the Egyptian
divinities; and the Odeon , where the famous inscription with the laws of Gortyn was
found. Plato spoke of these laws, which were written in a Doric dialect and date from the
6th century B.C. with admiration.
Kato Simi, Vianos. Sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite dating from the Greek-Roman
era.
Knossos, 5 Km. East of Iraklio. Inhabited since the Neolithic era. The first palace
of Knossos was built around 1900 B.C.. two hundred years later it was destroyed by an
earthquake and rebuilt, becoming grander and more luxurious. The final katastrophe
occurred about 1500-1400 B.C. according to one theory, with the eruption of the volcano in
Santorini. Despite this blow, people continued to live there for another fifty years,
until a fire swept through the city circa 1400 B.C. The Minoan palaces were not only the
residence of the ruling house, they were also administrative and religious centers of the
whole region. The ruins of the capital of the Minoan Kingtom include the palace of Minos,
the homes of the officials and priests who surrounded him (Little Palace, Caravanserai,
House of the Frescoes, etc), the homes of ordinary people and the cemetery. The palace was
a labyrinthine complex built around a central court. This multistoreyed construction
covered an area of 22.000 sq.m. in addition to the royal quarters, also contained places
of workship, treasuries, workshops and storerooms.
Komos. The Minoan port of Phaistos.
Levina (Lentas). Excavation brought to light a sanctuary of Asclepios and Minoan
vaulted tombs.
Lythos Archaeological investigations uncovered finds from a big city of the
Greek-Roman era.
Malia, 34 Km east of Iraklio and 3km beyond the summer resort of the same name.
Excavations have brought to light a palace similar to the ones at Knossos and Phaistos
also built around 1900 B.C. and abandoned about 1450 B.C.. At Hrissolakos (Pit of
Gold), archaeologists also unearthed the districts surrounding the Minoan Palace and
cemetery. The palace covered an area of about 9000 sq.m. Many of the objects now on
display in Iraklio’s Archaeological Museum were found at Malia.
Phaistos (Festos) , 63 km. southwest of Iraklio and about 78 km. Southeast of
Rethimno, was the second most important palace-city of Minoan Crete. The residence of the
mythical Radamanthes, the palace was also the nucleus of a settlement inhabited since the
Neolithic age. The architectural layout is identical to that of Knossos. Here too the
rooms are arranged around a court. On the other hand, in contrast to Knossos, the frescoes
decorating the walls were relatively scanty, the unpainted floors and walls being covered
with a lining of pure white gypsum. The area of this palace was 9.000 sq.m.
Tilissos 14 km. southeast of Iraklio lie the ruins of one of the oldest Minoan
cities of central Crete including three large buildings, residences of the local lords.
Vathipetro, 19 km, south of Iraklio is where the ruins of a large Minoan mansion, a
country estate belonging to a local nobleman, were discovered. The ruins include a
wine-press, olive press, weaving rooms and a possible potter’s kiln. |
