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Crete
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| Heraklion or Iraklion (Greek: Ηράκλειο), is the largest city and capital of Crete. It is also the fourth largest city in Greece. Heraklion is the capital of Heraklion Prefecture, with an international airport named after the writer Nikos Kazantzakis. The ruins of Knossos, which were excavated and restored by Arthur Evans, are nearby.
Irakleion harbour
Archaeological Museum in Heraklion
Undoubtedly the star attraction of Iakleio. It is best to go early or at lunchtime, in the hope of beating the worst of the crush.
Snake goddess in the Archaeological Museum
Historical Museum in Heraklion
This is a treat for everyone interested in the History of Crete. With potraits, weapons, memorials of Cretan resistance fighters, religious objects and some notable icons on the ground floor. On the first floor you can find a replica of the study of Cretan writer Nikos Kazantzakis (1883-1957, author of Freedom and Death, Zorba the greek etc.) and lots more. (closed on Sundays)
Katzantzakis Tomb
The epitaph for Kazantzakis simple grave is taken from his own works: " I hope for nothing, I fear nothing, I am free". The tomb is set at the southern extreme of the Venetian walls.
Katzanzakis Tomb
Venetian Fortress
This large building, reconstructed in 1523, has beed tidied and depersonalised in the process of contemporary restoration. But it is still impressive, with good views fom the battlements and sundry Lions of St. Mark, the symbol of Venetian rule, carved in relief. This is the fortress that withstood the Turkish siege of 20 years. During the Battle for Crete in World War II the last Allied defendes of Irakleio fought their way along the mole and escaped to waiting ships. (closed on Sundays)
Morozini Fountain
What else is there to see around Irakleio?
Knossos (3 miles southeast of Irakleio)
Knossos is popular and crowded for the best of reasons: it is an extraordinarily interesting place. What stands out immediately is the extent to which it has been reconstructed. The site certainly gives a strong impression of how a Minoan palace may have looked. Visible on the site is the New Palace, built up after the earthquake of 1700 BC. The excavator and author of the Knossos reconstruction was the Englishman, Sir Arthur Evans. You can view the originals of the major frescos in the Archaeological Museum in Irakleio. (closed on Mondays)
Knossos
Matala (55 miles southeast of Irakleio)
This growing resort has a warren of man-made caves. They were occupied by hippies during the 1960s and gave the village a special reputation, somewhat unwelcome to locals. Nowadays the caves are closed at night.
Phaistos (40 miles southwest of Irakleio)
After Knossos, Phaistos is the greatest of the Minoan palaces. It shares many key characteristics with Knossos and visitors may find it helpful to have visited Knossos first. While Knossos is rater dowdily placed on a low hill, Phaistos is on a knoll overlooking the verdant plain of the Mesara and out over it to the mountains. The so-far unreadable Phaistos disc, with its stamped spiral of tantalising hieroglyphics, was found among Old Palace buildings just to the east (now in the Irakleio Archaeological Museum). (Open: daily)
Agia Triada (2 miles of Phaistos)
From this set of ruins, excavated by the Italias and named after a nearby church, the Kamares Cave on Mt. Psiloreitis is visible. Aga Triada is a puzzle. What was the puose of a set of secondary palatial buildings so close to the great palaces of Phaistos? It has often been described as a summer palace. For the non-technically minded visitor, the leasure in this considerably less-visited site will probably lie mainly in its position and in the knowledge that many of the most beautiful of all Minoan works of art were found here.
Gortyn (30 Miles south of Irakleio)
This large an sprawling site is Dorian, Roman and early Byzantine. It has never been fully excavated and visitors may well find interesting ruins by wandering outside the peripheral fence. The most significant parts of the site, however, are enclosed within the fence. It was on the banks of the river in Gortyn, so the Greeks believed, that Zeus seduced Europa, having taken the form of a bull, and brought her to Crete on his back. Europa, of course has given her name to the continent. (closed on Mondays)
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