Platanos, Gortyna

Platanos is a village located in the municipality of Gortyna, within the Heraklion regional unit on the island of Crete, Greece. The village serves as the administrative center for the community of Platanos, which also includes the smaller settlement of Trypita.

Platanos is situated at an altitude of 95 meters above sea level and is in proximity to the Mesara Plain. The village’s name is derived from an ancient plane tree. The primary occupation of the residents is agriculture, with a particular focus on olive oil production. The village features the church of Agios Georgios (Saint George) and also has a primary school.

Historical Context

The village is not mentioned in the Venetian census or the Turkish census of 1671. However, by 1834, it was recorded as having 15 Christian families, and in 1881, it had a population of 162 Christians and 13 Muslims.

In 1878, more than 4,000 individuals gathered in Platanos to protest against the lack of aid supplies from Greece and the oppression they faced from the captains who were collecting the tithe tax and half of the harvest from abandoned Turkish properties. During these discussions with the captains, the situation escalated to the point where Georgios Maris and Georgios Papachadzakis were killed.

To the west of Platanos, at a distance of 500 meters in the location of Monastiriakes Achlades and Goudies, there was an Early Minoan settlement. In 1915, Xanthoudides discovered two tholos tombs at this site, within which were found Early Minoan seals, stone vases, and other artifacts.

Administrative Information

Platanos was officially recognized as a settlement in 1925 and was initially attached to the community of Vasilika Anogeia. In 1928, it became the seat of the newly established community of Platanos.

Under the Kallikratis plan and its subsequent modification, Kleisthenes I, Platanos and Kandyla together form a community that falls under the municipal unit of Gortyna within the Municipality of Gortyna. According to the 2011 census, the population of Platanos was 188 residents.

Village Key Points

• Historical References:
  • First recorded in Turkish censuses in 1834
  • Site of a protest in 1878 related to aid distribution and taxation
• Location:
  • Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece
  • Near the Mesara Plain
  • 51 kilometers from Heraklion
• Historical Significance:
  • Early Minoan settlement nearby with tholos tombs
  • 1878 protest highlights historical tensions and struggles
• Population data over the years:
  • 1834: 15 Christian families
  • 1881: 162 Christians and 13 Muslims
  • 2011: 188 residents
• Current Status:
  • An active village with a primary school
  • Primarily agricultural, focusing on olive oil production