Agios Pavlos Monastery near Paranymfoi
The Agios Pavlos Monastery is a Venetian-era ruin near Paranymfoi, Crete. Located in the Asterousia Mountains, it once served as a hermitage and monastery. The site features a single-aisled basilica church with traces of frescoes, a carved doorway, and ruins of monks' cells. The monastery, linked to the scholar Iosif Filagris, flourished during the Venetian period but was abandoned in the 20th century. The surrounding area shows signs of inhabitation since antiquity, including possible evidence of an ancient sanctuary. The monastery is accessible by a dirt road from Paranymfoi and is situated above the Porofarago gorge, near the hiking trail to Tries Ekklisies.
Alagni, Archanes - Asterousia
Alagni, a village 25 kilometers from Heraklion, Crete, has a history rooted in the Minoan civilization. The village's name is believed to be derived from the nymph Alagonia, and ruins of a temple dedicated to her are said to be found on Tholi hill. Alagni is near the Minoan palace of Galatas, built around 1700-1600 BC. The village itself is home to a Minoan farmhouse and appears in historical records as early as 1583.
Alagni has several notable churches: Agios Vlassis, Sotira, Agios Georgios, Panagia, Panagia of Rouma, and Agioi Apostoloi. The latter, built in the 15th-16th century, bears the emblem of the Venetian Cornaro family.
Other significant landmarks include the deserted settlement of Rouma and Koursamos, where a cluster of winepresses dating back to the 16th-17th centuries exists. The Tholi Fortress, a small fortress from the late Venetian period (16th-17th century), is located on a hilltop west of Alagni.
The village's economy has traditionally centered around agriculture, particularly the cultivation of grapes and olives for wine and oil production.
Amigdalos, Archanes - Asterousia
Amigdalos (Αμύγδαλος) is a small mountainous village in the Municipality of Archanes-Asterousia in the Heraklion Regional Unit, Crete, Greece. It is located at an altitude of 595 meters, approximately 50 km south of Heraklion and 37 km south of Epano Archanes. The village was first officially recognized as a settlement in 1925. The name "Amigdalos" means "almond tree" in Greek, likely named after the abundance of wild almond trees in the surrounding region. Amigdalos has experienced a steady population decline throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.
Anemospilia
Anemospilia, a Minoan archaeological site on Mount Juktas in Crete, offers a unique glimpse into Minoan religious practices and beliefs. Discovered in 1979, the site features a rectangular building with four rooms, destroyed by an earthquake in the 17th century BC. The eastern chamber contains remnants of a stepped altar with offerings, fragments of pithoi with traces of food, and reconstructed vessels depicting religious ceremonies. The vestibule housed a crushed skeleton and numerous vessels. The central chamber contains a stone altar, believed to be the base of a life-sized wooden statue, with traces of vessels and a box containing a piece of rock symbolizing the earth. The western chamber contained three skeletons, including a young man found on a platform with a decorated knife, leading to interpretations of human sacrifice.
Giouchtas Minoan Peak Sanctuary
The Giouchtas Minoan Peak Sanctuary, located on the mountain of Giouchtas near Epano Archanes in Crete, is an archaeological site dating back to the Early Bronze Age. The site is associated with Minoan religion and offers insights into the ritual practices and beliefs of the Minoan civilization. Archaeological investigations have revealed structures, including a temenos, and artifacts like clay figurines and pottery fragments. The sanctuary's location on a mountain peak is characteristic of Minoan peak sanctuaries, chosen for its association with the divine realm and visibility. The Giouchtas sanctuary is located near Knossos and Archanes, suggesting it played an important role in the religious and social life of the Minoan people.
Minoan Palace of Epano Archanes
The Minoan Palace of Epano Archanes, also known as the Tourkogeitonia Palace, is a significant archaeological site located in the village of Epano Archanes on the island of Crete, Greece. This palatial complex dates back to the Neopalatial period of the Minoan civilization (around 1700-1450 BC). It is smaller than the palaces of Knossos, Phaistos, and Malia, but boasts a unique architectural layout with multiple wings and levels, and impressive features including an elaborate drainage system. The palace likely played a crucial role in the economic and religious life of the surrounding community. Excavations at the site have unearthed a wealth of artifacts, including pottery, tools, figurines, and seal stones, shedding light on the daily life, artistic traditions, and religious practices of the Minoans. A recent discovery in 2024 unearthed a unique Gate Shrine located outside the main entrance, the first of its kind at a Minoan palace, shedding new light on the religious practices and beliefs of this ancient civilization.
Rouma abandoned village near Alagni
Rouma, a deserted village east of Alagni in Crete, takes its name from the Cretan word for "river stream." The village, formerly abundant in oak and pine trees, was abandoned after a plague outbreak. Survivors relocated to Alagni. Despite its abandonment, Rouma is remembered for the church of Panagia tou Roumatou (Virgin Mary of Rouma), a landmark that remains historically and religiously significant. A 1630 census recognized Rouma as a separate village. The restored church of Panagia tou Roumatou is a reminder of Rouma's past, with excavated sacred vessels further highlighting its history.
The Necropolis of Phourni
The Phourni necropolis, near Archanes, Crete, is a significant Minoan burial site used from the Early Minoan II (EM II) to the Late Minoan IIIC (LM IIIC) periods. It features a variety of tomb types, including tholos tombs, rectangular tombs, and composite tombs, reflecting the evolution of Minoan funerary architecture and burial practices over time. Tholos tombs are beehive-shaped structures used for collective burials, while rectangular tombs resemble houses, suggesting a symbolic connection between the house of the living and the house of the dead. Composite tombs combine elements of both tholos and rectangular tomb architecture.
The necropolis has yielded a wealth of grave goods, including pottery, stone vases, metal objects, jewelry, and figurines, providing insights into the social structures and religious beliefs of the Minoans. The variety of tomb types and grave goods reflects the prosperity and social complexity of the Archanes valley. The architectural features and artistic motifs found at Phourni resonate with those found at Knossos, indicating cultural homogeneity and interaction between these two important centers. The religious beliefs of the Minoans are also reflected in the finds at Phourni, with religious symbols and ritual objects suggesting a belief in an afterlife and elaborate burial rituals.
The Phourni necropolis is the richest burial site in Crete and provides a unique glimpse into the burial practices, social structures, and religious beliefs of the Minoan civilization.
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Geotour website by Nikolakakis Manolis is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Geotour website by Nikolakakis Manolis is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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