4. Brief history of Crete
• Crete is the largest island in Greece, and the fifth largest one in the
Mediterranean Sea.
• After the decline of the Minoans, Crete was invaded by a series of
conquerors starting with the Myceneans. Soon, the Dorians and then later
the Romans invaded. When the Roman Empire declined, the Byzantines
took their turn and it was at this time that Christianity was established.
• The Arabs conquered Crete in the 8th century. The Byzantines took over
again before they sold the Island to the Venetians in the early 13th century,
who bestowed their influence until their surrender to the Ottoman Turks in
1669.
• The Turks ruled until 1898 after which Crete was placed under
international administration. In 1913, Crete became Greek.
5. Cretan character and culture
• "We, Cretans, are permanently in love with our island
and what it stands for. We are in love with its spirit
which evolved from vivacious Minoan times through
perpetual and eventful contacts with different races and
civilizations, the Dorians, the Egyptians, the Byzantines,
the Arabs, the Venetians, the Turks.
6. • The following assessment of the Cretan character is from
Msgr Louis Petit. |The French Roman Catholic Bishop of
Athens (1912 to 1926)
• " They are truly admirable people who learnt to hold on
stubbornly throughout the tumultuous events of forty
centuries to their native character and local speech.
Courage, mingled with an independent spirit that is often
close to downright disobedience, a lively wit, vivid
imagination, and a language full of images, spontaneous
and unaffected, love for every kind of adventure, an
indefatigable urge for freedom, that goes hand in hand
with an insatiable desire for bravado... "
7. Battle of Crete
• In 20 May 1941, Crete was bombed by the Germans. The determined
resistance of the island’s civilian population was such that the battle of
Crete lasted several days and cost the lives of 4,000 German paratroopers.
Crete fell definitively on 29 May, having endured longer than the time
needed to occupy the whole of France.
• After that many atrocities follow, several villages were destroyed and
revolvers massacred.
8. Cretan music and traditional dances play an important
part in life in Crete and will be seen and heard at most
festivals and parties.
9. The famous Cretan hospitality is still very much in
evidence. One should not be surprised if he/she receives
products or an invitation.
10. Much of the Greek culture revolves around the Greek
Orthodox church which is instrumental in the daily life
and cultural traditions of the Cretans. 97% of the
population are Greek Orthodox.
12. Chania is the location in
which Minoans built the city
of Kidonia. By the excavation
that took place in different
parts of the city it became
clear that this region was
inhabited since the Neolithic
age ( New Stone Age).
13. A Few Words about our Region
Apokoronas (Greek: Αποκόρωνας) is a
municipality in Chania regional unit,
north-west Crete, Greece.
It is situated on the north coast of
Crete, to the east of Chania itself.
The municipality has an area of
315.478 km2 (121.807 sq mi).
15. The Cretan Diet is tasty and nutritious and it
ensures good health and a long life!
16. Historically, Cretans have eaten only what their land produced: lots of
fruit, vegetables, whole grains and pulses — the dried seeds of
legumes such as lentils, beans and peas.
17. One thing the island produces
in abundance is olives. So the
Cretans eat a lot of olive oil —
more than other Mediterranean
people. And they don't use any
other type of oil, even to make
sweets.
18. The sunny island with high mountains and deep
valleys also provides herbs and aromatic plants,
fruit trees and vegetables, wheat and barley.
19. It's also a place where salads are a large part of the
diet: There is a saying that goes, if you have a field,
don't let a cow or a Cretan in. They'll eat all the
greens.
20. The small amount of animal protein eaten on Crete
is cooked in olive oil and usually made with greens,
grains or pulses: sea bass with purslane, pork with
cracked wheat, chicken with peas.
21. All these foods are made simply and quickly with no cream and few
spices.
22. It is widely accepted that the diet of Crete, the
largest of the Greek islands, is the most healthy in
the Mediterranean.
23.
24. The flora of the island is directly connected to its climate
and geomorphology and it is of particular interest.
In Crete there are 2108 species of native plants of which
302 are endemic.
25. It is used as a decoction against gastric
disorders and also against colds and as
haemostatic and antiseptic.
26. It is used against colds and respiratory diseases
and it is considered to be a plant which heals
wounds by iron weapons.
27. It blooms from April untill May and grows on rocks
and canyons in medium and low altitude.
28. It gives off a pleasant, exotic and very delicate fragrance
that is particularly felt during the windless summer nights.
It flowers from August to October.
29. It grows on plateaus. The petals of this endemic species
have at their base a black patch with a yellow band which
separates the red and black part of the flower.
30. The geomorphology of the island and the landscape diversity,
greatly contributed to the emergence and development of endemic
fauna.
31. The wild goat of Crete is a gorgeous and proud animal that is
threatened to disappear. Greater concentration of this species is found
in mountains and canyons
32. The bearded vulture is a diurnal bird of prey
and it is one of the vultures that are found in
Greece.
33. It is the only wild feline on the island which is limited to the
small body of a cat (fourogatou) as it is called in the Cretan
dialect. It is larger than ordinary cats, and the male
reaches a length of 50cm while its tale can be3 cm
35. The gorge of Samaria
The gorge of Samaria is located in the prefecture
of Chania in the sierra of the White mountains.
It is about 18 Km and it is considered as the
biggest gorge of Crete and the entire Europe.
In 1962, it was recognised as a National park and it
is a shelter for endemic species.
The most popular of the animals is the Cretan wild
goat.
36.
37.
38. The gorge of Imbros
The gorge of Imbros is located next to Sfakia area
of the prefecture of Chania. It starts from the
Plateau of Imbros and ends up in Komitades’
village. It is about 7 Km and it is easily accessible
every season of year. This is a gorge with rock
formations. This gorge has wild vegetation and
trees which spring up from the rocks.
39.
40. The gorge of Agia Eirini
This gorge is located in Selinos’ province at the
west side of the white mountains and it is about 43
Km far from Chania. It is a wonderful gorge with
numerous different kinds of wild vegetation. Its
name was given from the village of Agia Eirini
,which is built in the north entrance of the gorge.
41.
42. The gorge of Aradena
The gorges of Aradena is the deepest and the
steepest gorge of Chania. With a hight of 138m
this gorge is ideal for bunjee jumping. The
charming route combined with the magical beach
Marmara, at the end of the gorge, constitute a
memorable experience for everyone attempting the
descent of the gorge.
43.
44. The Kourtaliotiko gorge
The Kourtaliotiko gorge is located in the prefecture
of Rethymno. Near the end of this gorge there
is a lake. The gorge is really breathtaking and
there is wild vegetation everywhere.
45.
46. The gorge Agiofarago
This gorge is located in the prefecture of Heraklion.
In order to cross it, you have to walk for about 20
minutes. In the entrance there is the Temple of
Holy Kiriaki which is into a cave.
47.
48.
49.
50. The gorge of Tripiti
The gorge of Tripiti is
loacated in the south part
of the prefecture of
Heraklio next to the
village of Leda. Its name
was given from the
church of Panagia Holy
Tripiti which was built into
the cave of this gorge.
The place is magical
and the tall rocks are
breathtaking.
51. This gorge is located in the perfecture of Lasithi in
Crete. Its entrance is located in an altitude of 370
meters and until its exit it’s reduced to 140
meters. In the exit of this gorge, there is a big
fall that is about 215 meters.
The gorge Ha
52.
53. The gorge of the dead
This gorge is located in the municipality of Itanos, and it
is about 39 km southeast from the city of Citia. This is
a very beautiful gorge and you are going to meet a
lot of caves that, in the Minoan period, they were
used as graves. For this reason the gorge is called
the gorge of the dead.
56. 1.Vai, Lasithi
The beach with the largest native palm forest of
Crete (It is the only indigenous wild palm grove of
Greece and the largest palm tree forest throughout
Europe. Its existence is attributed to Phoenician
merchants who threw away the seeds of the dates
they were eating.
57.
58. 2. Matala, Heraklion
A safe natural harbour on the Bay of Messara, with a
gently sweeping sand and pebble beach, the place in
legend where Zeus swam ashore in the guise of a
bull with Europa on his back.
60. 3. Balos, Chania
Balos beach is famous for its wild natural beauty and
wonderful exotic scenery.
61. 4. Preveli, Rethymno
On the banks of the Grand River there is a large colony of
Theophrastus palm trees which give the region a sense of an
African landscape. The river, forming a large lake, 500m long,
before emptying into the sea, has water all year round.
62. 5. Elafonisi, Chania
Shallow turquoise waters, which at a point looks like
a lagoon, and fine white sand, pinkish at several
spots because of the crushed shell powder.
63. 6. St. Paul, Rethymno
A wonderful beach with high dunes.
64. 7. Istros, Lasithi
The lovely beach of Istro or Voulisma. The crystal
clear water, the white sand and the green hills are
the main features of this coast
70. 13. Seitan Limania, Chania
Nature created three inlets between the steep cliffs
of the peninsula. In one of them is located the well-
hidden. Location is known as Seitan Limania. The
word "Seitan" (Seytan) is Turkish (apparently left
over from the period of Turkish rule in Crete), and is
translated as Satan, devil. The word "Limania" is a
Greek word meaning harbors. Therefore, "Seitan
Limania" means "The Satanic Harbors“ because of
the strong winds of the area.
75. Due to its small width Crete has few rivers which flow from the mountains
in its central part and end in Libyan and Cretan Sea.
Most of them have only little water during the winter months and the
summer are completely dry.
76. RIVERS
In Crete there are 8 rivers.
The biggest river in length is “Anapodiaris”. Εvery year it canalizes 40 billion cubic
meters of water to the sea.
Its name comes from the fact that at the exit of the river (during the winter)wind
pushes its water inwards. So, if someone sees the river in this time of the year he
will think that the river
has backward flow.(“anapoda” in Greek languange means backwards)
77.
78. The second largest river in Crete is called “Kiliaris”.
It starts from the village “Stylos” in Apokoronas and it issues at the
beach of “Kyani akti” near “Kalyves”. Its length is about 5km.
The name of the river comes from the verb «κυλώ» which means
flow in Greek languange.
79.
80. Other rivers
“River Platys” “River Giofyros or Diakoniaris”
“River Geropotamos” “Tayronitis”
82. LAKES
Crete has limited water resources because of its geographical position and temperate
climate.
Crete has 27 lakes in total.
The bigger lake of Crete is located at Kournas in Apokoronas.
83.
84. Dam of Zaros Dam of Agia Lake Varathro
Dam of Bramiana Lake of Skafi Lake Boulismeni
85. Lake of Faneromeni Ornes lake Lake of the Turkish
Lake Iniou - Mahairas Lake of Ziros Lake Omalou Viannos
86. Lake of Macherida Lake Ligara Lake Partiri
Lake Strouboula Lake of Amourgela Lake at Digenis’ Tomb
87. Lake of Kourounes Lake Parakalouri Lake of Damiana
Lake of Armanogia Lake Libada Lake of Karabado
89. MOUNTAINS
Crete is a mountainous island and big part of its
surface is covered by high mountains.
The bigest peak is called “Timios Stavros” and it
is located at Psiloritis in Rethymno (2456
metres), while the biggest sierra is Lefka Ori –
White Mountains - in Chania. The highest peak
of Lefka Ori is called “Pahnes”(2453 metres) .
