The Greek Republic is located on the Balkan Peninsula and on numerous islands. The largest in area (8,270 km²) is the island of Crete, which is home to more than 600 thousand indigenous people. It is washed by the waters of three seas: Libyan, Cretan and Ionian.
In the article we will talk about the island of Crete. Its description and sights are two important topics that will be considered in the article. The island attracts tourists from many countries of the world, since Crete was the center of the Minoan civilization - the oldest on the European continent.
History of Crete
The first settlements on the territory appeared about seven thousand years ago. The largest for that time was the urban settlement - the city of Knossos, located near modern Heraklion. Knossos was destroyed for the construction site on which the Knossos Palace 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 immigrants who emigrated from the mainland of Ancient Europe. The inhabitants of these kingdoms engaged in crop farming, piracy, and traded with Ancient Egypt.
Before the eruption of Santorini volcano 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 Crete’s history the “Dorian invasion”. They created more than one hundred communities (policies), headed by a bule (council of thirty members).
In 75 BC e. the island formed the territorial unit of Crete (province). And in 767, a military-administrative district was created in this province with the aim of protecting itself 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 controlled by Italy. Numerous military operations on the island led to the Cretan uprising, which took place between 1897 and 1898, thanks to which an independent Cretan state was created. And from 1913 to the present time, the island is part of the Hellenic Republic.
Tourism development
At the beginning of the 20th century, sports tourism began to develop in Greece. After some time, the development of tourism 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 of educational tourism.
Now it is the most famous holiday region in Greece. It annually receives more than two million tourists who want to visit unique cultural monuments, most of which are protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The most popular cities for history buffs are Chania, Rethymnon, Lassithi, Heraklion and Hersonissos. There are cultural monuments associated with the history of the island, and other attractions of Crete.
Chania city
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, Samaria gorge, the ancient city of Aptera and the Janissaries mosque.
"Castle of St. Nikita"
In 1371, the Venetians, who at one time conquered the island of Crete, decided to build a fort in order to repel pirate raids. Three years later, the fortress was completely built. She received the name "Castle of St. Nikita." But the indigenous people called the building “Frangokastello”, which means “castle of foreigners”.
Now on the territory of the fortress, with an area of 4,000 m², concerts are held in various directions. 15 km from Chania, tourists can see the ruins of the ancient city of Aptera, which in the 7th century was partially destroyed and finally destroyed by the soldiers of the Ottoman Empire.
The oldest building in the city is considered to be a Muslim temple - the Yanichar Mosque (Kuchuk Hassan). Now there is an exhibition hall where art exhibitions with various subjects are placed. This attraction of Crete is located on the territory of the Venetian port in the historical part of the city.
Attractions Rethymnon
In the northern part of the island is the city of Rethymnon (90 km from Chania). The main attraction of this small cozy town is considered the Venetian fortress. Its construction began in 1573.
Since 1590, the fortification has been performing the main task - protection from pirates from the Libyan Sea. In those days, the fort consisted of four pentagonal towers located on each corner of the fortress wall (1,300 m) and three fortifications (bastions). A variety of storage facilities, a palace for the bishop, a church and barracks were built on the territory.
Now tourists can visit the fortress, which is used for concerts, shows and music festivals. Opposite the main gate is an 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 to the fortress can see the specially protected two statuettes found by archaeologists during excavations: a statuette of the goddess from Pankalohori and a bronze sculpture of a young man.
On Vernadu 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 of masters of past centuries.
The hallmark of the city is the lighthouse, erected by the Egyptians in 1830 and installed in the Venetian harbor. Nowadays, the Venetian building is considered a popular holiday destination for indigenous people and visitors of the city.
City of Lassithi
In the eastern part of Crete is the city of Lassithi. It represents a resort area with numerous hotels, recreation centers, pensions, hotels equipped according to the international standard. 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 terrain. It says that Lassithi came from the ancient Greek lastos (densely grown).
In addition to the sandy beaches, which are equipped in small bays, tourists are attracted by the man-made sights of Crete. The main ones that tourists most often visit are:
- cave of Zeus (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 Virgin Mary is located;
- Spinalonga fortress island located in Mirabello Bay.
Ecopark Lassintos
What other attractions of Crete are worth seeing? For nature lovers it will be interesting to visit the Lassintos Ecopark. Workshops are located on its territory, and tourists can watch the process of making honey and oil.
Hersonissos in Crete
What are the attractions in Hersonissos in Crete? On the coast of the Cretan Sea, in the north of Crete, 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 “peninsula”.
Based on archaeological excavations, historians have established that the first settlements in the area appeared around 1500 BC. e. The modern city is the main resort in Crete and popular among young people, mainly from England, Holland and Germany. The resort area has a large number of Dutch and Irish bars, working around the clock. Travel agency offers tourists a beach holiday to diversify with informative excursions to the sights of this ancient city.
In the old part of the city of Hersonissos from the time of the Roman Empire to the present day, some civil and port buildings have been preserved. And in the village of Potamis, tourists can get acquainted with the ancient construction of water supply, thanks to which water was supplied to the city.
What sights of Crete in Greece are worth seeing? History buffs have the opportunity to explore the expositions of the Likhnostatis ethnographic museum. There are objects of Cretan culture.
From the port, a tour desk for guests of the city organizes fascinating sea excursions, with a visit to the small islet of Dia (dragon island).
The excursion on the tourist ship "Nemo" is very popular among tourists. This vessel has a glass bottom through which you can observe the life of marine animals.
The capital of Crete is Heraklion. Sights and historical facts
The pearl of the Cretan region and the capital is considered a shopping and tourist center - Heraklion. It was founded in 824. During the conquest of the island by the Ottoman Empire, the city was renamed Handakas. But at the beginning of the XIX century, the former name of Heracles was returned to him. After some time, he received the status of the capital of Crete. The city also became officially called 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 the international standard, travelers are attracted by the sights of Crete in general.
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 protected by UNESCO. It is also considered an open-air palace-museum.
In the city center, tourists can visit the museum, where archaeological finds from the Minoan period are stored, and in the historical museum in 22 rooms there are artifacts of the Byzantine period.
All Greeks are friendly towards guests, but the more hospitable of them, as tourists note, 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 to you.