Stoloi, Gortyna

Stoloi is a village and the seat of the homonymous community in the Municipality of Gortyna in the Heraklion Regional Unit of Crete. It belongs to the province of Monofatsi.

Location and Geography

Stoloi is located 55.7 kilometers from Heraklion, in the southern part of the Heraklion regional unit. The village sits at an altitude of 350 meters. The current residents mainly originate from villages in the Mylopotamos municipality and are primarily engaged in agriculture and livestock farming. The village produces olive oil, raisins, cereals, and a small quantity of dairy products.

Historical Context

Tradition suggests that the settlement derives its name from the Church of the Holy Apostles (Apostoloi > Stoloi), where the cemetery was located until a few years ago. The village is first mentioned in 1583 under the name Stolus, with a population of 36. During the Ottoman occupation, it was inhabited exclusively by Turks. In 1834, there were 6 Turkish families residing in Stoloi, and by 1881, the population had grown to 122 individuals.

Religious Sites

Within the village, there are churches dedicated to the Holy Apostles and the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. Additionally, there are chapels dedicated to the Forty Saints, Saint Euphemia, Saint Marina, and Saint George near the old, ruined settlement of Rizika, located northwest of the village. Rizikas is mentioned in historical records from 1583 with a population of 25.

Inia

Inia, which was under the jurisdiction of Stoloi when the latter was still a community, had 52 residents in 1583. During the Ottoman rule, it was inhabited solely by Turks. Following the population exchange, refugees from Asia Minor and some Cretan families settled in the village.

Administrative Status

Stoloi was officially recognized as a settlement in 1925 and designated as the seat of the newly established community of the same name. According to the Kallikratis plan and its subsequent amendment, Kleisthenes I, together with the settlement of Inia, it forms the community of Stoloi, which belongs to the municipal unit of Rouvas in the Municipality of Gortyna. As of the 2011 census, the population of Stoloi was 351.

Settlement: Key Points

• Historical References: First mentioned in 1583 as Stolus.
• Location: Southern Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece.
• Historical Significance: Primarily inhabited by Turks during the Ottoman occupation, later settled by refugees and Cretan families.
• Population Data: See table below
• Current Status: A village and the seat of the community of Stoloi in the Municipality of Gortyna.

Population

References

• Το Ηράκλειον και ο νομός του. Ηράκλειο: Νομαρχία Ηρακλείου. 1971.
• To χωριό Στόλοι Ηρακλείου – Ιστορία και Λαογραφία, Εκπολιτιστικός Σύλλογος Στόλων Ηρακλείου, 2017