Trapeza cave or Kronio cave

The cave Trapeza, also known as Kronion Cave, is located between the village Marmaketo and Tzermiado, in Lassithi Plateau, at an altitude of 860m.

It’s located near the secondary road that connects Marmaketo with Tzermiado School. There are signs leading to the cave both in Tzermiado and Marmaketo. A path with steps, hidden in trees, leads to the cave after ascending for 5'. The entrance to the cave is quite indiscernible and the view to Lassithi plateau from there is magnificent.

Kronion consists of two rooms with niches. The entrance is narrow and a corridor with moisture-green sidewalls leads to a small hall. In this room, there are broken stalactites and stalagmites, destroyed by human intervention. A large stalagmite in the middle of the cave leaves two passages on his sides. Also, small niches and columns are hosted in the side of the cave. The wrinkled walls of the cave are beautiful. Right in the first room, a hole leads to another room at a lower level. One stalagmite there, resembles of a comfortable armchair.

Excavations have revealed important objects from all periods, from Neolithic to Byzantine. Gold leaf, one faience figurine and one ivory figurine are some of the findings. Among the excavated idols, there are some Egyptian beetles of the 11th Dynasty, which indicate the ancient strong relations between Crete and Egypt.

Dikteon Antron and Kronion Cave, the two historic caves in Lasithi Plateau, have been linked to the myth of Zeus birth. According to the legend, Cronus (Saturn) lived in Kronion and Dikteon Antron, who Zeus is born.