Kalo Chorio, Chersonissos

Kalo Chorio (Good Village) is a semi-mountainous village and seat of the municipality of Gouves in the Heraklion Regional Unit of Crete. It used to belong to the province of Pediada. It is located at an altitude of 320 meters. Kalo Chorio is located in the north, at a distance of 6 km S.-S.W. from Gouves, 11 km S.W. from Gournes (seat of the municipality) and 25 km W.-S.W. from Heraklion. It is built on a hill with panoramic views and near the village there is the Aposelemi gorge. The main occupation of the residents is olive cultivation.

History

To the southeast of the settlement and at the site of Korfi Maza (456 m) a peak sanctuary was discovered, dating from the First Middle Minoan Period to the Geometric Period. According to archaeologists, “Maza” is a pre-Hellenic word and means Mother Earth. Also found were idols of worship and various zodiac signs. At this sanctuary, it is believed that they worshiped a female deity, who belonged to the circle of the deities of heaven.

Name

The village is mentioned in the Venetian censuses with a different name than today’s. Specifically, in 1583 – and earlier in 1577 – it is listed as Stravorina with 76 residents. In the 1834 census, Kalo Chorio is mentioned with 342 Christian residents.

A few centuries later, in 1842, the settlement was renamed Kalo Chorio (Good Village), due to its location and the excellent view it offers.

In the wider area of Kalo Chorio, however, habitation begins already in antiquity, as confirmed by finds on the neighboring hill of Maza. At the highest point of the latter, at an altitude of 448m, the remains of an acropolis and a settlement of the Protogeometric and Geometric period (10th-8th century BC) have been partially discovered. Also, a short distance from these residential installations, an important peak sanctuary of the Middle Minoan period has been identified, dedicated to Mother Earth according to N. Plato, where a multitude of clay figurines and votive offerings were found.

Modern Day

Kalo Chorio today is a beautiful settlement with greenery, within which there is a spring and running water about five hundred meters from its center. Inside the village, it is worth seeing the building of the old Court of Peace, which is a preserved monument of recent times. A little further out, northwest of the settlement, following the signs you will find a traditional windmill, built in a dominant position with a wonderful view that reaches to the northern coastline of the island and the Cretan Sea.

For nature lovers, the small and accessible Kalochoriano Gorge, northwest of the village, with a length that does not exceed 4 km, is ideal for hiking.

Points of Interest

• Venetian Fountain of Mousouta

Settlement: Key Points

• The village of Kalo Chorio is located in the Heraklion Regional Unit of Crete, Greece.
• It is situated at an altitude of 320 meters.
• The village has a rich history, dating back to the Minoan period.
• A peak sanctuary was discovered near the village, indicating the presence of a significant religious site in the past.
• The village was originally named Stravorina and was later renamed Kalo Chorio in 1842.
• The population of Kalo Chorio has fluctuated over the centuries, with the highest recorded population being 494 in 1900.

Population Data

References

• Wikipedia