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Category: Archaeological Sites

Malia

Malia is 37 km east of Herakleion on the edge of a fertile plain and close to the sea, very necessary for the development of agriculture and of nautical and commercial activities.

The palace of Knossos was the most important of the palaces of Crete, and the seat of the first king among equals of the island, Minos, whose name has been given to the whole of the 3rd and 2nd c. BC Minoan civilization.

Phaistos

Phaistos is located in the western part of the Mesara, the most fertile plain in Crete, and south of the famous river Yeropotamos, the ancient Lethaios. The palace of Phaistos was built on the easternmost of the three hills that stretch between the mounta

Zakros

The town and palace of Zakros are at the southeast end of Crete. In Minoan times the region would have been difficult of access because the mountains of Siteia cut it off from the rest island. The bay of Zakros is one of the safest anchorages in eastern C

Agia Triada

Agia Triada is close to Phaistos and the sea, with a view towards Mt Ida. It was the summer residence of the king of Phaistos. Excavation were carried out from 1902 to 1944 by the Italian Archaeological School and resumed in 1976.

Archanes

Archanes is 15 km southeast of Herakleion. They are famous for its grapes, lush vegetation and its waters, whose source is Mt Youktas, to the west of the modern village.

Gournia

Gournia is a small Minoan settlement in east Crete, 19 km southwest of Agios Nikolaos. It was completely excavated by H.A. Boyd Hawes between 1901 and 1904. The low hill on which it stood controlled the roads from Central to east Crete and it was also clo

Amnissos

The first habitation in the area of Paliochora (Amnissos) dates back in the Middle Minoan period (19th century B.C.). The site is mentioned as a-mi-mi-so in the Linear B tablets. The Minoan "Villa of the Lilies" was destroyed by fire in the 15th century B

Windmills at Seli Ambelou - Lassithi Plateau

The most remarkable set of windmills that survives in Crete today is located in Seli Ambelou in the Lassithi Plateau. It is situated at the northern entrance of the Plateau and it is the "trademark" of the area.

Axos

In the area of the modern village Axos the ancient city Oaxos existed once, one of the most important cities of ancient Greece, which flourished from the late Minoan and the Geometric Times until after the Roman times. The archaeological excavation has re

Apodoulou

The village Apodoulou is located at the southern foot of Mount Psiloritis, at the foot of the rise Papoura and the valley of Ambadia. In Apodoulou human presence is testified from the prehistoric times until the modern times. Remains of the Minoan times w

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

Vasiliki Ierapetra

The settlement of Vasiliki is one of the first Minoan settlements with town-planning. It occupies the top and slopes of a low hill near the village Vasiliki, in the vicinity of the Minoan settlement of Gournia. The first settlement dates back to the Early

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.

Kriopotamos Bridge at Myrtos

North of Myrtos, on the way to Mournies, where river Kriopotamos flows (in the summer the river is dry) there is a bridge, from the built-in inscription of which we learn that it was built in 1884.

Gortys

The ruins of the ancient city of Gortys with its acropolis and necropolis extend in an area of about 1.000 acres, from the hills Ai-Giannis, Volakas and Prophitis Ilias in the north to the villages Agioi Deka and Metropolis in the south.

Eleftherna

The ancient city Eleftherna is located on the north-western foot of Mount Ida, approximately thirty kilometers south of Rethymno, 380 meters above the sea level. The city's excavated remains belong to various periods.

Oval House of Hamezi

The building complex that was discovered on a hill (altitude about 500 from the surface of the sea) known as "Souvloto Mouri", opposite Hamezi of Siteua, dates back to the Middle Minoan IA period

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.

Idaion Antron

At the Nida Plateau, on an altitude of 1538 m. exists “the Cave of the shepherdess”, the cave where according to mythology, Zeus, the father of the mortals and the gods was raised (or born).

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

Municipal fountain of Houmeriakos

The fountain in the central square of the settlement Houmeriakos that is known as the Square of the Fountain or the Square of St George (after the homonymous small church). Northwest of the fountain and at a small distance from it there is a well and a pu

Koufonisi Island

(The Theatre))At the northeastern end of Koufonisi, opposite the Marmara islet, and at a small distance from the beach, excavations have brought to light a well preserved stone-built theatre; the cavea had twelve rows of seats and a capacity of c. 1000 pe

Fountains of Kritsa

The settlement Kritsa of the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos is one of the most important semi-mountainous traditional settlements of Crete. The three community springs that are located there "and the cobbled road " at the position Chaniotera have been

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).

Lappa

Rescue excavations are being conducted in recent years by the 25th Ephorate of Classical and Prehistoric Antiquities in the modern village Argiroupoli. Parts of the ancient city Lappa have been discovered, which date from the Geometric Times to the Roman

Lato

Lato was one of the most important Doric city-states in Crete, although it must have existed before the "Descent of the Dorians". It is built on a saddle between two hills, at a site protected by possible attacks but also with a splendid view over Mirambe

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

Mikro Valaneio

The small Roman Bath is at the northern part of the archaeological site of Sector I of ancient Eleftherna (position Katsivelos). It includes at least two building stages from the 2nd to the 6th/7th century A.D. Its construction must have started after the

Minoan Villa of Makri Gialos

The wonderful position, in which the village Makri Gialos is located,thirty threekm (33) south of Siteia on the Lybian Sea, was used by the Minoans and important traces of habitation have been found.

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.

Minoan Villa of the Lilies

A luxurious two-storey house of the style of Minoan villas, it was built on limestone stanchions at the position "Paliohora" (Amnisos). It has a chamber with"multiple doors", a bathroom, staircases and stone-paved rooms.

Monastiraki

In the village Monastiraki, which is located in the valley of Amari, at a distance of 38 km from Rethymnon, a building complex has been discovered, which must have been built in around 2000 B.C.

Temple of Mars and Aphrodite at Lenika

In a flat area near the modern settlement Ellinika, between Agios Nikolaos and Elounta, at the border between the ancient city-states Lato and Olous, was located a very old sanctuary dedicated to Aphrodite, the «ancient Aphrodision» of the inscriptions of

Temple of Asclepios at Levinou

The temple of Asclepios is situated on the northwestern edge of the sanctuary. It has an eastern orientation and the walls of the cella are built with clay blocks and are coated with white marble.

Palaikastro

At the northernmost edge of the eastern coast of Crete lie the ruins of a settlement which flourished during the Late Minoan period (1550-1220 B.C.). At the same site, however, remains of the Early and Middle Minoan periods (3000-1550 B.C.) are preserved

Old Primary School of Lithini

The Old Primary School of Lithinoi - Siteia has been characterised a historical monument because it is a very interesting building from 1920. The building is in the central square of the village, it has panoramic view and dominates the surrounding area.

Petras

On a low hill (h. 40 m.) by the sea lies an important Minoan settlement. It had a large harbour and was the centre of an area bordered by Chamaizi on the west, Praisos on the south, and Analoukas on the east.

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.

Roman Villa of Makri Gialos

Thirty (30)km east of Ierapetra and thirty three km (33) south of Siteia, on the souths road axis Siteia-Ierapetra, is located Makri Gialos and the Lybian Sea. It was named after the long sandy beach that exists there.

Spinaloga

At the northern entrance of Elounda Bay, at a key-position for the control of the natural harbour, is located the islet of Spinalonga, with an area of 8,5 ha and an altitude of 53 m. The island was fortified in the antiquity, possibly in the Hellenistic p

Stavromenos

In the wider area of Hamalevri - Pangalohori - Stavromenos and Sfakaki extends a very important archaeological site. Already in 1745, the British traveller R. Pococke identified the position as being the ancient Pantomatrion.

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.

Syvritos

In the modern village Thronos, at a distance of 33 km SE from Rethymnon, at the position Kefala, the archaeological research has revealed the remains of the ancient city of Sivrytos

Tarra

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

Tylisos

The houses of Tylisos were built in the Late Minoan I period (16th-15th century B.C.). Extensions were made to House A in the Late Minoan II period (15th-14th centuries B.C.) and to the House C during the Late Minoan III period (14th century B.C.).

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