Category: Archaeological Sites
Region: Chania Prefecture

Aptera

Aptera was one of the most important city-states of Crete. It was already mentioned in Linear B inscriptions (13th – 14th century B.C.) and continued to exist until the 7th century A.D., when it was destroyed by a strong earthquake in combination with the

Gavdos

The island of Gavdos is the southernmost inhabited border of Greece and the southernmost edge of Europe. Ancient sources (Herodote, Stravon, Ptolemeos and Ierocles), traveler’s accounts but also more recent studies occasionally refer to Gavdos.

Elyros

Elyros (Skylax 47) is built on the hill “Kefala”, 500 m. southwest of the village Rodovani and the province of Selino. It is considered to have been the most important ancient city in south-western Crete in the Hellenistic and the Roman times.

Vaulted Tomb of Maleme

The vaulted tomb of Maleme is situated about 17km west of Chania, on the rise "Kafkala". It was discovered by chance and looted at the beginning of the century. In 1943/44, a bomb exploded and caused part of the roof to collapse. The tomb was excavated in

Vaulted Tomb of Stilos

The tomb is situated at the westernmost part of the hill Azoires, south of Aptera and east of the country road that leads to the modern village Stilos Apokoronou. It was excavated in 1961 by N. Platonas and K. Davaras, upon suggestion of a civilian.

Vaulted Tomb of Fylaki

On a hillslope, at the location “Tis tripas t’ armi", at a distance of 1 km northwest of the village Fylaki, an important vaulted tomb of the Late Minoan period III (14th – 13th century B.C.) was excavated in 1981.

Castle of Gramvousa

The castle was built on the steep rise of the islet Imeri Gramvousa, at the edge of the homonymous peninsula, to protect the small natural port that exists in the area, in the framework of a wider fortification project of Crete at the end of the Venetian

Kydonia

The modern city of Chania is built in the place of an important ancient Cretan city, Kydonia or ku-do-ni-ja, according to Linear B inscriptions. According to tradition it was one of the three cities founded on Crete by King Minos (Diodorus V, 78.2).

Lisos

Ancient Lissos, at a position called today Ai-Kirkos, in the homonymous bay of the south coast of the prefecture of Chania, was an important city in the historical times of Crete. In the Hellenistic times it played an important role as a member of the Fed

Minoan Villa of Nerokourou

From1977 to 1982 a Greek-Italian excavation was conducted at the modern village Nerokourou, a little outside the city of Chania. A large settlement (organized in neighbourhoods) was excavated that was founded at the end of the Middle Minoan period.

Polyrrinia

Polyrrinia, a Cretan city that was powerful in the Hellenistic times, was built at the position of the homonymous modern village and its high and steep acropolis had a view both to the Cretan and the Libyan sea.

Early Minoan tomb at Nea Roumata

At the village “Nea Roumata” of the Cretan highland, at the location "Pefkos", there is an important proto - Minoan tomb, which is very similar to its contemporary Cycladic tombs.

Stylos position Azoires

In the hill Azoires, south to Aptera and east to the provincial street leading to the modern village Stylos Apokoronou, an important settlement of the Minoan times has been spotted.

Tarra

Tarra was a small, independent harbour- town, where, according to the tradition, Apollo and Artemis took refuge, after Pythos was murdered at Delphi.

Yrtakina

Yrtakina is built on a steep rise called “Kastri” near the village Temenia Selinou. It was a strong and independent inland power, which was founded in the archaic times and flourished in the Hellenistic times.

Necropolis of Armeni

The layout of the cemetery seems to have been carefully pre-planned. All the tombs are rock-chiselled chamber tombs with a “dromos”, with the exception of the built “tholos tomb” no. 200.

Phalassarna

The ancient city of Phalassarna is located at the west edge of Cape Gramvousa on the western coast of Crete. In the antiquity its name was Korykos and it included the rocky cape, where the acropolis was located, with an incredible view to the western Cret

Fortress of Firkas

On the northwestern side of the city of Chania, the Venetians constructed the Revellino Del Porto, a fortification that was capable of repelling any possible enemy and danger from the harbor.

Fortress of Frangokastello

The Venetian barons of Chania asked Venice to build a fortress in Sfakia, for their protection from the pirates and the rebellions of the native people.