The Hellenic Republic is located on the Balkan Peninsula and on numerous islands. The largest island in terms of area (8,270 km²) is the island of Crete, where more than 600,000 indigenous people live. It is washed by the waters of three seas: Libyan, Cretan and Ionian.
In the article we will talk about the island of Crete. Description and sights of it are two important topics that will be discussed in the article. The island attracts tourists from many countries of the world, since Crete was the center of the Minoan civilization - the most ancient on the European continent.
History of Crete
The first settlements on the territory appeared about seven thousand years ago. The largest urban settlement for that time was the city of Knossos, located near modern Heraklion. Knossos was destroyed for the construction site on which the Palace of Knossos was built.
In the second millennium BC, four separate small states arose on the island.
The population consisted of Minoans (representatives of the Minoan civilization) and settlers who emigrated from the mainland of Ancient Europe. The inhabitants of these kingdoms were engaged in cultivation of crops, piracy and trade with Ancient Egypt.
Before the volcanic eruption of Santorini on the island of Santorini (the largest eruption in human history, which resulted in the myth of Atlantis), more than one million people lived in Crete.
After some time, the ancient Greek tribes of the Dorians appeared on the island. Historians call this part of the history of Crete the "Dorian invasion". They created more than a hundred communities (polises), headed by a bule (council of thirty members).
In 75 B. C. e. on the island, a territorial unit of Crete (province) was formed. And in 767, a military-administrative district was created in this province in order to protect it from external enemies, after 57 years it was captured by Muslims, who created a Muslim state on the island.
In 1205, the territory was conquered from the Muslims by the Catholics, who created the kingdom of Crete, for several centuries it was under the control of Italy. Numerous military actions on the territory of the island led to the Cretan uprising, which took place in the period 1897 - 1898, thanks to which an independent Cretan state was created. And from 1913 to the present time, the island has been part of the Hellenic Republic.
Tourism development
At the beginning of the 20th century, sports tourism began to develop in Greece. After some time, developmenttourism infrastructure has led to the fact that other types of international tourism have become popular in the republic. In this regard, the island of Crete, the sights of which we will consider further, has become the most popular center for educational tourism.
Now this is the most famous holiday region in Greece. It annually receives more than two million tourists wishing to visit unique cultural monuments, most of which are under the protection of UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The most popular cities for history buffs are Chania, Rethymno, Lassithi, Heraklion and Hersonissos. There are cultural monuments related to the history of the island, and other attractions of Crete.
City of Chania
In the southern part of the island is the city of Chania, whose territory was inhabited 4,000 years ago. Throughout its history, it belonged to three empires: Roman, Ottoman and Byzantine.
In the old part of the city there are many historical monuments that attract visitors to the city. The main attractions of Crete and the city of Chania are the Frangokastello fortress, the Samaria Gorge, the ancient city of Aptera and the Janissaries Mosque.
Saint Nikita's Castle
In 1371, the Venetians, who once conquered the island of Crete, decided to build a fort to repel pirate raids. Three years later, the fortress was completely built. It was called the "Castle of St. Nikita". But the indigenous population called the building "Frangokastello", which means "foreigners' castle".
Now onThe territory of the fortress, which has an area of 4,000 m², hosts concerts of various directions. 15 km from Chania, tourists can see the ruins of the ancient city of Aptera, which was partially destroyed and finally destroyed by the soldiers of the Ottoman Empire in the 7th century.
The oldest building in the city is considered to be a Muslim temple - the Yanychar Mosque (Kyuchuk Hasan). Now there is an exhibition hall where art exhibitions with various themes are located. This attraction of Crete is located on the territory of the Venetian port in the historical part of the city.
Sights of Rethymnon
In the northern part of the island is the city of Rethymno (90 km from Chania). The main attraction of this small cozy town is the Venetian fortress. Its construction began in 1573.
Since 1590, the fortification has performed the main task - protection from pirates from the Libyan Sea. In those days, the fort consisted of four pentagonal towers located at each corner of the fortress wall (1,300 m) and three fortifications (bastions). A variety of storage facilities, a bishop's palace, a church, and barracks were built on the site.
Now tourists can visit the fortress, which is used for concerts, performances and music festivals. Opposite the main gate is the archaeological museum. It was created in 1887. Museum expositions are located in a building built by the Turks, which at that time played the role of protecting the main entrance to the fort.
Visitors of the fortress can see two specially protected figurines found by archaeologists during excavations: a statuette of a goddess from Pankalochori and a bronze sculpture of a young man.
On Vernado Street there is a mansion built in the 17th century, where the ethnographic museum is located. Here, tourists can get acquainted with a variety of ceramic and metal products by masters of past centuries.
The hallmark of the city is the lighthouse, erected by the Egyptians in 1830 and installed in the Venetian harbor. Today, for local residents and visitors to the city, the Venetian building is considered a popular vacation spot.
Lassithi City
In the eastern part of Crete, the city of Lassithi is located. It represents a resort area with numerous hotels, recreation centers, boarding houses, hotels equipped according to international standards. The name is given from the plateau of the same name, on which the city itself stands. There is a version of the origin of the name of this mountainous relief. It says that Lassithi comes from the ancient Greek lastos (densely overgrown).
In addition to the sandy beaches, which are equipped in small bays, tourists are attracted by the man-made sights of the island of Crete. The main ones most often visited by tourists are:
- Zeus cave (it was in it, according to the myth, the legendary God was born);
- Zakros Palace, built in 1700 BC;
- Kera Kardiotissa Monastery, where the miraculous icon of the Blessed One is locatedMother of God;
- Spinalonga Fortress Island, located in Mirabello Bay.
Lassinthos Ecopark
What other famous sights of Crete are worth seeing? For nature lovers, it will be interesting to visit Lassinthos Ecopark. Workshops are located on its territory, and tourists can watch the process of making honey and butter.
Hersonissos in Crete
What are the attractions in Hersonissos on Crete? On the coast of the Cretan Sea, in the north of Crete, there is the city of Hersonissos (25 km from the capital of the island - the city of Heraklion), whose name comes from the ancient Greek word for "peninsula".
Based on archaeological excavations, historians have established that the first settlements in this area appeared around 1500 BC. e. The modern city is the main resort in Crete and is popular with young people, mainly from England, Holland and Germany. The resort area has a large number of Dutch and Irish bars, open around the clock. The tourist office offers tourists a beach holiday to diversify with educational excursions to the sights of this ancient city.
In the old part of the city of Hersonissos, some civil and port buildings have been preserved from the time of the Roman Empire to the present day. And in the village of Potamis, tourists can get acquainted with the ancient water supply structure, thanks to which water was supplied to the city.
What sights of Crete in Greece are worth seeing? History lovers are giventhe opportunity to see the expositions of the ethnographic museum "Lychnostatis". There are collected items of Cretan culture.
From the port, the tour desk organizes exciting sea excursions for guests of the city, with a visit to the small island of Dia (dragon island).
Excursion on the Nemo tourist ship is very popular with tourists. This ship has a glass bottom through which you can observe the life of marine animals.
The capital of Crete is Heraklion. Attractions and historical facts
The pearl of the Cretan region and the capital is the trade and tourist center - Heraklion. It was founded in 824. During the conquest of the island by the Ottoman Empire, the city was renamed Khandakas. But at the beginning of the 19th century, the former name of Heraclea was returned to him. After some time, he received the status of the capital of Crete. The city also became officially known as Heraklion. And not only the capital of the island, but also a resort area for tourists of any category.
In addition to the golden sandy beaches, equipped according to international standards, travelers are attracted by the sights of Crete as a whole.
5 km from the capital is the Palace of Knossos - the main attraction of the city. It was built over 2,000 years ago and was the residence of King Minos. Since 2003, this ancient building has been under the protection of UNESCO. It is also considered an open-air palace-museum.
In the city center, tourists canvisit the museum, which houses archaeological finds from the Minoan period, and the historical museum houses artifacts from the Byzantine period in 22 rooms.
All Greeks are friendly towards guests, but the more hospitable of them, according to tourists, are the indigenous inhabitants of the island.
Conclusion
Now you know a lot about the sights of Crete. Many guides speak Russian, so there will be no difficulties. We hope that this information was useful and interesting for you.
