Asimi, Gortyna

Asimi (officially: Ασήμιον) is a town in the Municipality of Gortyna, Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece. It is located at an altitude of 290 meters in the northern part of the Messara Plain, 51 kilometers from Heraklion city. Asimi was the former seat of the Kofinas municipality.

The town sits on the watershed between the Geropotamos and Anapodaris rivers. The inhabitants are mainly engaged in agriculture, particularly olive and vine growing, as well as trade. Asimi serves as a commercial center for the surrounding villages in the eastern Messara Plain.

History

Near Asimi, in the area called Argio, remains of a Roman settlement and findings from the Hellenistic-Roman era have been discovered.

The first recorded mention of Asimi appears in a 1280 document. In 1395, it is mentioned as a fiefdom of Julian Vassalo. The village also appears in later Venetian and Ottoman censuses.

During the Ottoman period, Asimi had a mixed population of Christians and Turkish-Cretans. The Turkish-Cretans left the village after the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in the 1920s.

Amenities and Infrastructure

Asimi has various amenities and infrastructure, including:

• Health center
• Kindergarten
• Primary school
• Gymnasium (lower secondary school)
• Lyceum (upper secondary school)
• Citizen service center (KEP)
• Banks
• Pharmacy
• Shops
• Football field (home to the local team, founded in 1968)

Churches

• Church of Agios Titos (Saint Titus): The patron saint of Asimi, the church of Agios Titos is the central and oldest church in the village. It celebrates its feast day on August 25th with a local festival.
• Church of Agios Georgios (Saint George): Another important church in the village.
• Church of Agia Paraskevi, Agia Eirini, and Agia Triada: A three-aisled church built in 1984, it is the largest and newest church in Asimi.
• Church of Zoodochos Pigi (Life-Giving Spring): Celebrates its feast day on the Friday after Easter.
• Church of Archangel Michael: Located in the cemetery.
• Church of Sotiras Christos (Christ the Savior): A two-aisled church with Agios Charalambos.

Culture and Sports

Asimi has a cultural association that organizes cultural and sports events. The town also has a football team, “Athlitikos Omilos Asimiou” (Athletic Club of Asimi), founded in 1968. The team plays in the first amateur division of the Heraklion Football Clubs Association.

Village Key Points

• Historical References:
  • 1280 document.
  • 1395 document as a fiefdom of Julian Vassalo.
• Location: Municipality of Gortyna, Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece. 51 km from Heraklion city.
• Altitude: 290 meters
• Historical Significance: Roman settlement remains, Venetian and Ottoman-era records.
• Population:

• Current Status: Active town serving as a commercial center for the surrounding area, with agricultural and trade activities.