Crete – ALL I NEED IS MY PASSPORT

Heraklion, Crete

Oct 252016

October 23, 2016

You come to Heraklion to visit Knossos, but it is a city worth exploring as well. It is the largest city and the administrative capital of Crete also the fourth largest city in Greece.

On the 23rd of May 1941, German bombers dropped bombs over the city on anything standing. At the end of the bombardment, a third of the city lay in ruins. Because of this the city is not very attractive, its postwar reconstruction resulted in a hodge-podge of urban planning.

It does however, still have a small historical center.

Morosini Fountain

In the center of this historical area is the Morosini fountain in Lions Square, or more accurately Eleftherious Venizelou Square, named after the late Prime Minister of Greece who played a leading role in unifying Crete with Greece.

In the 9th and 10th century under Arab rule, the square was the largest slave market in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The fountain was the work of Francesco Morosini and engineers Zorzi Corner, Raffaello Monnani and Francesco Basilicata, and was constructed to bring drinking water to Heraklion. It is the termination point of a nine-mile aqueduct that took fourteen months to complete in 1628.

The base of the fountain is composed of eight basins, making it easier for many people to fill their water-jars simultaneously. About five people could dip their jars in the fountain at each basin.

The basins are decorated with scenes from Greek mythology. At the center of each is a coat of arms of the Doge, the Duke, the Councilors and Morosini.

The lions spewing water are the symbol of the Venetians. There was originally, a marble statue of Posiedon sitting atop the lions, lost sometime in history.

Another odd fountain in the area is the Bembo Fountain. It was built in 1552-54 by the Venetian Governor of Heraklion, Gianmatteo Bembo.

Apparently the statue, taken from the ancient town Ierapytna in Southeast Crete, is of a Roman official, and has always been headless. There was at one time a marble basin for collecting water, which they think may have been a Roman sarcophagus. The monument is decorated with family coats of arms of the Duke Gritti and Tiepolo, Emo and Marino.

Next to the Bembo Fountain is this Turkish Sebil, built by Haci Ibrahim Agha. A sebil was a public fountain in the street, constructed by an eminent Turk, where passers-by could quench their thirst and bless the builder.

Did you know that El Greco was born in Heraklion? At that time Crete was part of the Republic of Venice, and the center of Post-Byzantine art. There is a park with a bust of him in the center of town. However, there is only one of his paintings on the entire island. The Landscape of the Gods-Trodden Mount Sinai, in the Historical Museum of Heraklion.

There are three churches that stand together near Vikela and Agiou Mina Streets.

The largest is the Cathedral of Saint Minas, begun in 1862 and finished in 1895, honoring the patron saint of Heraklion. On the north side of the church (outside) you will see a bomb dropped next to the church during the bombing of Heraklion by the Germans in 1941. The bomb never exploded and it was considered a miracle.

Just to the left at the front the Cathedral of Saint Minas is Archiepiscopate of Crete, the original church of Saint Minas, called little Saint Minas and built in 1735.

Next to Saint Minas is the church of Agia Ekaterini (St Catherine of Sinai) now the Museum of Christian Art. The museum is worth a visit. It holds icons of two important schools from the 15th and 16th century. It also has small exhibits of woodwork, sculpture and devotional objects.

These three churches sit on Saint Catherine Square. It was Sunday and Saint Catherine Square was filled with families drinking coffee and letting their children play.

*Interestingly the given name Minas is rare in Heraklion, despite being the town’s patron saint. During the time of Turkish rule, “illegitimate” children were often left on the steps of the church of Saint Minas. The church took care of the children and named the boys Minas. Since being named Minas showed that the child was “illegitimate”, people did not give the name to their children.

Walking a little ways from Saint Catherine’s Square you find The Loggia, or noblemen’s club, also built by Francesco Morosini, in 1626.

It was part of the Venetian political and social custom to construct a public building as a meeting-place for nobles, rulers and feudal lords, where economic and commercial decisions were made. The building was where decrees of state were proclaimed and the Duke watched parades.

The Loggia is a combination of two different architectural styles: Doric style on the ground floor and Ionic on the upper floor. The building is a faithful reproduction of Palladio’s famous Basilica in Vicenza, demonstrating the significance the Venetians attached to the city of Heraklion.

The Loggia was fully restored in 1987.

The Church of Saint Titus

Saint Titus was a disciple of the Apostle Paul and the first Bishop of Crete. The first church dedicated to him was in the old capital Górtyn.

The skull of St Titus, the icon of the Virgin Mesopanditissa and other relics from Górtyn were moved to the new church.

When Heraklion fell to the Turks the relics were taken to Venice, where they remain today.

The skull, however, was returned to Heraklion in 1966 and is now kept in a silver reliquary in the church.

The great earthquake of 1856 totally destroyed the church. Architect Athanasios Moussis, who also designed the Orthodox cathedral of Saint Minas, rebuilt it as you see it today, originally, as an Ottoman mosque.

The skull of Saint Titus

The minaret was demolished in the 1920s, when the last Muslims left Heraklion during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey.

*A walk along the water takes you to the Venetian fortress, known as Koules. Its history is actually unknown. The structure that is seen today was built in 1523 by the Venetians, over what is known to have been a previous structure. The Lions of Saint Mark decorate two ends of the fortress.

Along the waterfront are the ruins of the monastery Basilica of the Church of Peter and Paul, built in the 13th century, during the Venetian period, it was one of the most important churches of Heraklion. The remains are actually from the second church, as the first was destroyed in an earthquake in 1508. The church is currently being restored.

The Dermata Gate

When looking down into the church you begin to realize how much lower the old church is than the present streets, you notice it, as well, when you visit the Dermata Gate, part of the old Venetian wall, the gate is set in the middle of the sea wall and once opened to the Dermata Bay.

Walking through old Heraklion near the harbor you see a few old and beautiful buildings:

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There are some funny signs, and interesting street art as well:

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One of the smaller streets, paved with marble, in the older part of Heraklion

Knossos: Myths amongst the Ruins

Crete, Greece

Oct 242016

October 22, 2016

Heraklion is one the top of everyone’s list to visit when they go to Crete. The reason for this is Knossos. Knossos is crowded with tour buses pouring off of cruise ships, and tourists exploring on their own. The walk to the entry of the site is rampant with tchochke shops and barkers luring you in. It is one of those sites you must visit, so you put up with the scene.

In researching Knossos I came across an article by Joshua J. Mark, it is so excellently written that I am simply going to let your read his explanation, somewhat abbreviated for your ease in reading, and I’ll throw in my photographs with my personal observations.

I found Knossos to be a real architectural wonder, the ability to build in such an elaborate manner, with four story buildings, in that time, is astonishing. This is an artists rendering of the site.

Knossos was told of by Homer in the Odyssey: “Among their cities is the great city of Cnosus, where Minos reigned when nine years old, he that held converse with great Zeus.” King Minos, famous for his wisdom and, later, one of the three judges of the dead in the underworld, would give his name to the people of Knossos and, by extension, the ancient civilization of Crete: Minoan.

Attitudes towards Evans’ reconstruction of Knossos among contemporary archaeologists are largely hostile – some regard his actions as tantamount to archaeological delinquency. But visitors – while pointing out that it’s not difficult to distinguish between original temple features and Evans’ restorations – will often argue that the reconstructed features are visionary in the way that they yield a unique and tangible insight into life inside the hub of Minoan culture, one that no mere ruins could ever offer. -From Archeology News Network

The settlement was established well before 2000 BCE and was destroyed, most likely by fire (though some claim a tsunami) c. 1700 BCE. Knossos has been identified with Plato’s mythical Atlantis from his dialogues of the Timaeus and Critias and is also known in myth most famously through the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. It should be noted that King Minos’ character in the story, as the king who demands human sacrifice from Athens, is at odds with other accounts of him as a king of wisdom and justice who, further, built the first navy and rid the Aegean sea of pirates.

In every medium imaginable, from gold rings to terracotta figurines, from stone seals to frescoes in relief, the image of the bull permeates the Minoan world.

The image of the bull is everywhere in Minoan art. You will find it in the Heraklion Archeology Museum on gold rings, terracotta figurines, stone seals, as well as frescoes.

According to the myths surrounding the early city, King Minos hired the Athenian architect, mathematician, and inventor Daedelus to design his palace and so cleverly was it constructed that no one who entered could find their way back out without a guide. In other versions of this same story it was not the palace itself which was designed in this way but the labyrinth within the palace which was built to house the half-man/half-bull the Minotaur. In order to keep Daedelus from telling the secrets of the palace, Minos locked him and his son Icarus in a high tower at Knossos and kept them prisoner. Daedelus fashioned wings made of wax and bird’s feathers for himself and his son, however, and escaped their prison but Icarus, flying too close to the sun, melted his wings and fell to his death.

The Minotaur, the monster-child of Minos’ wife, thrived on human sacrifice and Minos demanded the tribute of the noblest youth of Athens to keep the beast fed. Theseus of Athens, with the help of Minos’ daughter Ariadne, killed the Minotaur, freed the young people, and returned triumphant to his home city. Both stories cast King Minos in a very unflattering light while emphasing Athenian heroes which is unsurprising as they are considered Athenian in origin.

The throne room was unearthed in 1900 by British archaeologist Arthur Evans, during the first phase of his excavations in Knossos. This throne room is considered the oldest stone throne in Europe. The chamber contains an alabaster seat, identified by Evans as a “throne”, while two Griffins rest on each side staring at it. What fascinated me the most were the three sides with gypsum benches.

The first palace identified in modern times was built c. 1900 BCE on the ruins of a much older settlement. As the writing of this period, so-called `Cretan Heiroglyphs’, has not been deciphered, nothing is known about this time save what can be discerned through archaeological evidence.

This first palace was destroyed c. 1700 BCE and re-built on a grander, though less massive, scale. The city of Knossos, and almost every other community center on Crete, was destroyed by a combination of earthquake and the invading Mycenaeans c. 1450 BCE with only the palace spared.

The eruption of the volcano on the nearby island of Thera (Santorini) in c.1600 or 1500 BCE has long been held a major factor in the destruction of the city and second palace. Recent scholarship, however, argues against this theory citing Mycenaean activity at the palace after 1450 BCE. The Mycenaen writing system, known as `Linear B’, continues in Crete after the eruption of the Thera volcano and there is further evidence that the Mycenaens re-built the damaged palace. In fact, it appears that Knossos became an important base of operations and capital of the Mycenaeans until it was destroyed by fire and finally abandoned c. 1375 BCE. The date which traditionally marks the final end of the Minoan civilization is 1200 BCE after which there is no evidence for the culture.

Examples of Linear B found at Knossos, now in the Heraklion Archeology Museum

"Horns of Consecration" is an expression coined by Sir Arthur Evans to describe the symbol, ubiquitous in Minoan civilization, that represents the horns of the sacred bull: Sir Arthur Evans concluded, after noting numerous examples in Minoan and Mycenaean contexts, that the Horns of Consecration were "a more or less conventionalised article of ritual furniture derived from the actual horns of the sacrificial oxen" These porous limestone horns of consecration are restorations, but horns of consecration in stone or clay were placed on the roofs of buildings in Neopalatial Crete, or on tombs or shrines, probably as signs of sanctity of the structure. The symbol also appears on Minoan seals, often accompanied by double axes and bucrania, which are part of the iconography of Minoan bull sacrifice. Horns of consecration are among the cultic images painted on the Minoan coffins called larnakes.

“Horns of Consecration” is a term coined by Sir Arthur Evans to describe this ubiquitous Minoan symbol. It represents the horns of the sacred bull. These limestone horns are restorations, but others made of stone or clay were placed on the roofs of buildings, tombs and shrines, probably to show the sanctity of the building.

The Horns of Consecration on everything, found in the Archeology Museum of Iraklia

The Horns of Consecration of various sizes, found in the Archeology Museum of Heraklion

For centuries, Knossos was considered only a city of myth and legend until, in 1900 CE, it was uncovered by the English archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans and excavations were begun.

Through frescoes on the walls, the excavated site revealed more about the Minoan sport of bull jumping and the ancient story of Theseus and the Minotaur (half-man-half-bull) seemed more probable than fanciful.

The story of the labyrinth also was given more credence once the intricate interior of the palace was uncovered. It was Evans who first called the ancient inhabitants of Crete ‘Minoan’ after King Minos of Knossos, and his efforts in excavation and re-construction, however controversial, paved the way for all future work in both physical and cultural anthropology concerning the Minoan civilization. – Joshua J. Mark (excerpted)

The geology of Knossos also fascinated me. This is a large piece of gypsum stone. We also saw huge ashlar blocks of local sandstone and limestone.

Fresco secco, which is the application of paint, in particular for details, onto a dry plaster was used throughout Knossos as was the use of low relief in the plaster to give a shallow three dimensional effect.

Pithoi were manufactured all over the entire Mediterranean. They were used for storing or shipping wine, olive oil, or various types of vegetable products. They became known as pithoi when western classical archaeologists adopted the term to mean the jars uncovered during excavations of Minoan palaces on Crete.

Pithoi were manufactured all over the Mediterranean. They were used for storing or shipping wine, olive oil, or various types of vegetable products. They became known as pithoi when western classical archaeologists adopted the term to mean the jars uncovered during excavations of Minoan palaces on Crete.

These beautifully painted pithoi are in the Iraklia Archeology Museum

These beautifully painted pithoi are in the Heraklion Archeology Museum

There are recreations of the frescoes found during the original excavation in-situ. The originals are in the Archeology Museum in Iraklio

There are highly interpreted re-creations of the frescoes found during the original excavation. The original fragments are in the Archeology Museum in Heraklion.

Water technologies included running water within the palaces drainage systems, piping systems, rainwater harvesting, and other technologies.

The site is ringed with trees where you can step away from the blistering heat in the center, yet it was still very warm, even in October. It takes around 2 hours to explore the site properly. At present it costs €16/person and that lets you into the Archeology Museum as well.

A must, after Knossos is to visit the Archeology Museum of Heraklion. The museum is world famous for its Minoan art collection.

Here you will learn about more details of everyday life. I have always been fascinated with the death rituals of societies around the world, the Minoan’s buried their people in what are called Larnakes. Larnakes, plural of larnax are small closed coffins or “ash-chests”. If not cremated, the deceased was placed in a fetal position, perhaps, signifying the return to the beginning of life, then the larnakes were placed in tombs.

The larnakes were beautifully ornamented in the same style as frescoes.

A larnake in the Archeology Museum of Heraklion

These symmetrical double-bitted axe are called Labrys. Originally from Crete they are some of the oldest symbols of Greek civilization. The Labrys is most closely associated in historical records with the Minoan civilization and specifically with the worship of a goddess. In Crete the symbol always accompanies female divinities.

I have always loved the whimsey in pottery from ancient civilizations. These pieces are representative of the Rhinoceros Beetle, the black ones are actual beetles.

Immense cooking pots

Obviously palaces require large cooking vessels to feed huge crowds, these are much larger than they appear in the photos, and rather impressive to behold.

One has to truly appreciate the fact that the shopping bag has been around since the beginning of time.

Regarding the museum, you need a minimum of one and one-half hours for a visit, two would be best. The museum is laid out perfectly, it walks you in a logical manner and takes you through chronologically. In the end there are two private collections bought from well known collectors and then a sculpture gallery.

A Road Trip of Ruins

Crete, Greece

Oct 232016

October 21, 2016

Phaistos

The day began by visiting Phaistos, an important site of the Minoan civilization. The Minoan civilization, which flourished in Crete during the second millennium BC, ranks among the great civilizations of the ancient world. It had four places of power, areas that are called palaces, Knossos, Phaistos, Mália and Zakros.

Looking down onto the portion of Phaestos, off limits and still be excavated

Looking down onto the portion of Phaistos, off limits and still being excavated

The lands they chose were rich in agriculture and had direct access to the important sea routes of the time.

These sites were not, as we think of palaces, just residences of royalty. They were the seats of administration and justice, thriving commercial and manufacturing centers and trading centers.

A peristyle, a common Minoan architectural feature

The architecture of these “palaces” was influenced from the East, the common characteristic being the rectangular central courtyard.

These palaces, though destroyed throughout time, were rebuilt after each disaster. They existed for about 600 years.

Gypsum walls that would have been covered in frescoes.

There were two major architectural phases at both Phaistos and Knossos; the Early Palaces, which were destroyed in around 1700 or 1650 BC, possibly due to earthquakes, and the New Palaces, built on the same sites that eventually suffered damage around 1450 BC, the reason for this has many theories and is still debatable.

A stairway of gypsum stone

Phaistos was also an important city-state of Dorian Crete (1100 BC). The Dorian’s were one of the four major ethnic groups among which the Hellenes (or Greeks) of Classical Greece considered themselves divided (along with the Aeolians, Achaeans, and Ionians). They are almost always referred to as just “the Dorians”, as they are called in the earliest literary mention of them in the Odyssey.

2 large pithoi in the storage magazines

Phaistos was the second largest and second most important of the four major towns. The reason to visit Phaistos, is that, unlike Knossos, no reconstruction has taken place.

Górtyn

The Saint Titus Basilica in Gortyn, dedicated to St. Titus, the first Bishop of Crete, and was erected in the 6th century AD

Just a few miles from Phaistos in Górtyn, one of the mightiest city states in Dorian Crete (1100 BC). It was here, according to legend, that Zeus, transformed into a bull, carried the princess Europa on his back from her home in Phoenicia. It is said that the sacred marriage was contracted beneath the evergreen plane tree beside a brook in Górtyn. It is told that the tree still exists today. A colossal statue of Europa sitting on the back of a bull was discovered at the amphitheatre in Górtyn in the nineteenth century and is now in the British Museum.

The Odeon at Gortyn

Górtyn has a rich history. It is where Hannibal sought refuge after his defeat by Antiochos, and it helped the Romans conquer Crete, which is why it was not destroyed by Quintus Metellus, unlike Knossos. According to Book III of Homer’s The Odyssey, Menelaus and his fleet of ships, returning home from the Trojan War, were blown off course to the Górtyn coastline. Homer describes stormy seas that pushed the ships against a sharp reef, ultimately destroying many of the vessels but sparing the crew. The city was eventually destroyed in 825 AD by the Arab invasion, which formed the Emirate of Crete, a Muslim state that existed on Crete from the late 820s to the Byzantine reconquest of the island in 961.

The laws of Gortyn

Housed behind the Odeon is The Górtyn Code, discovered in 1884, it is both the oldest and most complete known example of a code of ancient Greek law. The code was discovered at the Odeon, a structure built by the Roman emperor Trajan.

The code dates from around 500 BC. Each stone contains 12 columns of inscriptions in a Doric Cretan dialect. There is a total of 600 lines which read alternatively from left to right and from right to left, a style known as boustrophedon, literally, “as the ox plows”. The laws were on display to the public and related to domestic matters including marriage, divorce, adoption, the obligations and rights of slaves and the sale and division of property.

Spinalónga

We ended our day in a seaside restaurant in the town of Pláka, looking out to the island of Spinalónga. Originally Spinalónga was not an island – it was part of the island of Crete. During Venetian occupation the island was carved out of the coast for defense purposes and a fort, with a large protective wall, was built there, the remains of which can still be seen.

The island of Spinalónga

The island was subsequently used as a leper colony from 1903 to 1957. It is notable for being one of the last active leper colonies in Europe. The last inhabitant, a priest, left the island in 1962. This was to maintain the religious tradition of the Greek Orthodox Church, in which a buried person has to be commemorated at following intervals of 40 days; 6 months; 1 year; 3 years; and 5 years, after their death.

Today it is a deserted, however it remains a popular tourist destination with boats leaving many of the towns that surround it, every ½ hour. This is due to the fact that it was featured in the British television series Who Pays the Ferryman? and Werner Herzog’s experimental short film Last Words. It is also the setting for the 2005 novel The Island by Victoria Hislop. Our hotel clerk said people arrive clutching the book and anxious to take the trip out. It is not on my agenda, although I have read the book.

A walk around Pláka shows what an upscale town it has become after a very large, unattractive, high-end resort was built right on its outskirts.

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The history of Crete is so very complicated, I have gotten lost in the telling many times. If you are interested here is a link to a timeline of the history of the island.

Wandering the Amári Valley

Crete, Greece

Oct 222016

October 20, 2016

The Amári Valley is not for those with an agenda. The drive is through some lovely and barren terrain, interrupted rarely by small towns that appear to be completely uninhabited. The joy is in the hidden surprises.

Mount Idi

The valley is towered over by Mount Idi, an often-used crossword puzzle word for you fans, and the highest mountain of Crete at 8,047 feet.

Olives trees go on forever

On August 22, 1944, the German forces of occupation began burning the villages of this area, and killing people as an act of reprisal for the abduction of the island’s garrison commander, General Kreipe.

“The burning went on for an entire week,” wrote George Psychoundakis, author of The Cretan Runner. “First, they emptied every single house, transporting all the loot to Rethymnon; then they set fire to them; and finally, to complete the ruin, they piled dynamite into every remaining corner and blew them sky-high. They shot all the men they could find.”

Each village you travel through contains a war memorial along the road that tells the tale of the shootings and lists their name. This includes 43 men from Gerakari,19 from Kardaki, and 38 in Ano Meros.

The war memorial in Ano Meros

This last memorial, which I went specifically to seek out, is of a Cretan woman raising her hammer to chisel the names of the dead.

Every Amári village has at least one church, many decorated with stunning 14th- and 15th-century frescoes, we stopped at just two of the more accessible. The first was in a small town outside of Thrónos in the very small town of Syvritos, the Church of the Panagia. You must contact the older lady at the café to get in. There were no photos allowed, and she did not leave her post, making sure you didn’t try to take one, she did, however, appreciate any change you gave her towards the care of the church.

The Church of Panagia in Sivritos

The church was built over the site of a much larger church, the mosaic floor is discernible in a few places outside

Panagia, also transliterated Panayia or Panaghia, is one of the titles of Mary, the mother of Jesus, used especially in Orthodox Christianity.

Most Greek churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary are called Panagia; the standard western Christian designation of “St. Mary” is rarely used in the Orthodox East, as Mary is considered the holiest of all human beings and therefore of higher status than the Saints.

In the town of Méronos is another church with 14th century frescoes, also called the Church of Panagia. This one I was able to take a few photos inside.

The lovely exterior ornamentation of the church in Meronas

Frescoes in the Church of Panigia in Meronas, Crete

Frescoes in the Church of Panagia in Meronas, Crete

We also stopped in the town of Gerakári, ostensibly for a glass of their famous Cherry brandy, but there was none to be had. The town is famous for its cherries, but what really strikes you when you arrive is the immense complex, called Gerakári Homes, which is an old folks home, I am not sure how successful, as we truly saw no one in the entire town.

Agios Ionnis

A little farther along, just outside the town of Kardáki is an old church called the Church of Agios Ionnis. This little church became famous when it was used for scenes in the movie Mama Mia, sadly it was closed, but the setting is just gorgeous.

The barren land of Crete

All of the drive from the town of Ano Méros to the coast is through barren landscape only dotted here and there with olive groves, the road is very poor and goats are your only companions.

Everywhere you go are churches. The big churches are inside the towns but the small ones are practically everywhere. Usually painted white. You will find them on a beach, on the mountain peaks, in deep gorges or inside caves. People of Crete are deeply religious people and they build churches to express their gratitude to God or to fulfil a “tama”, a promise given to God in exchange for a request. This was not the prettiest one by far, it just caught my eye and I had to pull over to take a picture.

You will also find these little shrines everywhere, they are kandylakia. You will often see them on the roadsides, but they don’t always mean a death as most people presume, they are also put up when someone’s life is spared.

Styles and materials differ depending on the choice of the family commissioning the shrine. Custom dictates that at least one icon and a votive candle be placed inside the box, but I also saw bottles of holy oil, and sometimes names and dates inscribed on them.

We ended in the town of Mátala. Mátala is one of those nightmare places that caters to nothing but tourists. The hotels are for the budget conscious and the food is for people that prefer cheap fried, rather than quality. There are more T-shirt vendors in one square block than can be imagined. The beach however, is rather stunning, the real reason that holiday revelers come.

The caves looming over the beach were originally tombs in the Roman Era. Later they were used by early Christians, shepherds and recently, hippies.

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Homer described Menelaos, husband of Helen of Troy, being shipwrecked here on his way home from Troy. During the Hellenistic times, around 220 BC Malata served as the port for the ancient city-state of Gortys.

We traveled from the Aegean to the Mediterranean

The Holy Monastery of Arkadi

Crete, Greece

Oct 212016

October 20, 2016

People come to Crete for many reasons, I came to get off the beaten path as often as possible. This was the first stop in the wanderings around the Amári Valley. The Amári Valley sits at the foothills of Mount Ida and Mount Kedros.

The Monastery of Arkadi or Moni Arkadiou is about 15 miles outside of Rethymnon. Like all sights in Greece it is poorly marked, and difficult to find, but it is worth the effort. Having said that, you will find tour busses and tourists galore once you arrive, I assume, most having gotten lost along the way, as did we.

The entry way to The Monastery of Arkadi

You’re first sight upon entering the monastery complex is this, Venetian, Renaissance order, facade of the Katholikon. Constructed in 1587 it was influenced by the works of Andrea Palladio and Sebastiano Serlio.

The exact date of the founding of the monastery is not actually known, but it is consecrated to Saint Constantine. Its beginnings are sometimes attributed to the Byzantine emperor Heraclius and sometimes to the emperor Arcadius in the 5th century. However, in Crete, it is common for monasteries to be named after the monk that founded the building, which leads to the theory that Arkadi may have been founded by a monk named Arkadios.

Originally a wine cellar, this became the ammunition room and the site of the explosion of the “Arkadi Tragedy”

The “Holocaust of Arkadi” brought this monastery onto the world stage in November of 1866.

The Cretans and the Turks had a long history of frequent and bloody uprisings. The Cretan’s ultimate goal was to obtain independence and join with Greece. By 1866, a 16-member revolutionary committee had formed to attempt to gain this independence. They used the Arkadi Monastery as its headquarters.

When the Turkish Pasha that ruled in Rethymnon became aware of the committee, he ordered Abbot Gabriel Marinakis to disarm the committee immediately and eject the rebels, or the monastery would be destroyed. What the Pasha did not know was that the Abbot was the chairman of the committee.

In the early morning hours of November 8, 1866, the rebels were wakened to the sight 15,000 Turkish soldiers and 30 cannons surrounding the monastery.

In addition to its 259 defenders, over 700 women and children had taken refuge in the monastery. After a few days of hard fighting, the Ottomans broke into the monastery.

The refectory was the site of the slaughter of 36 men during the 1866 Ottoman attack

At that point, the abbott set fire to the gunpowder stored in the monastery’s vaults, causing the death of most of the rebels and the women and children sheltered there. This event caused enormous shock in the rest of Europe and in North America and decreased the perceived legitimacy of Ottoman rule.

This dead tree surprised me at first, until I learned it still holds a bullet left over from the attack, seen at the white arrow

The gardens of the monastery are lovely at this point in history, and the horrific history is wiped away by the beauty you see today

The gardens of the monastery are now truly lovely, its horrific history is wiped away by the beauty you see today

The monks cells

Outside the gates is the Ossuary. Originally a windmill, the building now houses the bones of some of the fighters of the 1866 battle.

The Ossuary

Inside the Ossuary

There is an excellent museum inside the Monastery as well. There is a fine collection of liturgical vestments.

The monastery ran a gold-embroidered vestment workshop for approximately 200 years, starting in the mid-seventeenth century. It was considered one of the most important workshops of its time. The monks used mostly purple silk textiles, which they embroidered with gold and silver thread, pearls and stones. During the 1866 uprising, the monks hid the vestments in the crypts and the walls of their cells, thus preserving a large number of them.

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Rethymnon, Crete

Crete, Greece

Oct 202016

October 20, 2016

So many of the Cretan towns are built on the same model, i.e. large protective walls in various states of decay, a fort, a small port and tiny winding streets. The joy is, that they each have their own personalities as well. Rethymnon, while, if one were reading a description, would be much like Chania, it is a different as can be, in such a surprising and delightful way.

The harbor of Rethynmon taken from the Forteza

The harbor of Rethynmon taken from the Fortezza

Rethymnon has a rich and varied history. It has been inhabited since the late Minoan Era. During the 3rd and 4th Centuries BC the autonomous state of Rethymnan was of sufficient importance to issue its own coinage.

The Venetian rule saw Rethymnon flourish as a commercial, artistic and administrative center. The Venetians created a harbor, built extensive fortifications – including the impressive Fortezza and the Rimondi Fountain .

During the Turkish occupation Rethymnon fell somewhat into decline. The Turks did however, leave their mark architecturally.

The wooden Turkish homes are still standing in this part of Greece

The Fortezza of Rethymnon, is one of the best-preserved castles in Crete. Designed by military engineer Sforza Pallavicini according to the Italian bastioned system, it was built to defend the port against pirate attacks. Barbarossa had devastated the town in 1538.

Bastions of the Fortezza

Inside the Fortezza looking out to the Sea of Crete

The Rimondi Fountain, which is actually a spring, stands on the site of an older fountain believed to have existed since at least 1588. The Venetian governor J. Rimondi started the reconstruction of the current fountain in 1626.

The Ramondi Fountain

The front of the Rimondi Fountain consists of 4 small columns which stand on raised basins used as troughs for animals to drink from. The water runs from spouts that are in form of lions’ heads. You can also spot the crown of Rimondi over the lion’s heads.

The Rimondi Crest on the Rimondi Fountain

We used Rethymnon for a jumping off spot, and stayed at the Avli Hotel. There are not enough words to say how terrific the hotel is, perfectly located with a divine staff. It is owned by a beautiful woman, Katerina, and her architect husband. Their taste is exquisite down to the very last detail. It is several homes put together, it includes not only a large restaurant room, but a wine cellar, a cooking school, a high end grocery store and a garden that I knew I could spend months and months in just watching time pass and discovering all the hidden details.

Their restaurant is truly one of the best in the city, favored by the locals as well as the tourists.

In the garden of the Avli Hotel

Just a smattering of how gorgeous the garden of the Avil Hotel is.

Fresh herbs, used in the restaurant are scattered in well marked pots, albeit, in Greek

Here are some sights from around Rethymnon:

Looking inside a kitchen of a restaurant, wondering the streets

Early morning and the cats are still snug in their assigned spaces.

A look out to sea from the Fortezza

A Brugmansia, or Angel’s Trumpet just loving its warm location

Classic Greek Menus

Walking the town before it has woken

These little trains abound in Crete in all of the tourist locations

A laughing squire

Gorgeous blue pottery, made locally

The harbor area in the early evening.

My traveling partner Glenn hamming it up in front of the fountain.

Katholiko Monastery, a very, very hidden gem

Crete, Greece

Oct 192016

October 19, 2016

Today we moved from Chania to Rethymnon with a side trip to the Katholiko Monastery or Monastery of St. John the Hermit.

We began by getting terribly lost leaving Chania. That is not that difficult as roads and sites in Greece have always been terribly marked.

After many small winding roads, and false starts we finally made it to the Gouverneto Monestery, which is where the adventure begins.

Since photos are not allowed at the Gouverneto Monastery, I took this one from outside the fence.

You walk through the Gouverneto Monastry, staying silent, and not taking pictures until you find the wooden door at the far side of the monastery. Here you walk through the door to a vista of beauty.

The view from the top of the steep descent

A photo of a small portion of the foot path

You will view caves way on the other side of the gorge

While there is a “paved” footpath, be prepared for a treacherous climb. It is 30 minutes straight down. I was unable to determine the elevation change, but my phone said we climbed down the equivalent of a 32 story building. Keep in mind that means you must climb up that exact same amount to return to the first monastery.

The view from about 2/3 of the way down. You still can not see the monastery, so at this point many people give up

It is thought that the buildings here date to shortly after 1600, and that there was a much earlier monastery here, considered the oldest in Crete. Unfortunately this is not confirmed by historical sources, and the Venetian census of 1637 does not mention a monastery here, only the church of St John the Hermit, which belonged to Gouverneto Monastery.

Just a small hint of the final stairs that lead down to the monastery

However, a “katholiko” is the main church of a monastery, where the monks gather to pray each day. This name is strong evidence for the existence of an old monastery on the spot, even if all traces of it have now been lost.

The architecture achieved in this remote location at that time is just hard to believe

It is also said that the monks abandoned Katholiko Monastery due to pirate raids and built a new monastery, Gouverneto. Researchers doubt this, given that Katholiko Monastery was dedicated to St John the Hermit, while Gouverneto Monastery is dedicated to the Virgin. This change would have been considered deeply disrespectful to the saint of the older monastery, so this information is considered doubtful.

The two sides of this amazing archway over the ravine. The sides contain rooms as you can see by the small windows

The remains are truly impressive. The engineering required to cut into the hillside, and to build the building over the ravine are something to behold and stare in awe.

There is also the story of Saint John the Hermit. It is is thought that Saint John the Hermit came here from Egypt and was active in many parts of Crete. It is said that he lived off wild greens in the winter and carobs in the summer. Legend has it that, near the end of his life, he was no longer strong enough to walk upright, due to his poor diet and the hardships of the ascetic life. One day a distant hunter mistook him for an animal, as he was walking all crouched up, and injured him with his arrows. The injured saint returned to his cave and died lying on a rock, now known as “St John’s bed”.

The church was built in the cave where St. John the Hermit lived

My traveling partner Glenn gloating that he made it all the way

There are not any signs or information once you reach the site, you are really on your own, so one can only speculate how this site was used or how each element actually functioned.

There is an entry to a cave as you approach the monastery, its actual purpose or history was lost to me.

A small alter inside the cave

As you drive up the road to the monastery you pass a rather large shrine, that is worth a stop.

The plaque attached reads:

In this area, the Turkish conquerors of Crete (1645-1898) who succeeded the Venetian crusaders (1211-1645) slaughtered, on June 16, 1821, seven monks of the Gouverneto Holy Monastery, during the general massacre of the Christian population of Crete.

The Gouverneto Monastery, like all Monasteries in Crete, the rest of Greece and Cyprus, was the bastion of revolutions and battles “for the holy faith of Christ and for the country’s freedom”. This was, after all, the motto for every revolutionary movement of the Greeks, where bishops, priests and monks of the Greek Orthodox Church played the leading role.

Chania Continues

Crete, Greece

Oct 182016

October 18, 2016

In 1620, during the Venetian rule in Crete, the constant threat of the Ottoman Turks led the Venetians to fortify Chania with Firka Fortress at the harbor. It was originally built with 319 cannons, 30,695 cannonballs and 414 pounds of gunpowder. Firka means barracks in Turkish.

The Firka Fortress

It is possible to still see the positions of the cannons, in each of the six arched openings and the lion-emblem of the Serene Republic of Venice.

The Fort played an important part in the modern history of Crete as well. On December 1, 1913, the Prime Minister of Greece, Eleftherios Venizelos, and the King Constantine of Greece, raised the Greek flag and sealed the Union of the autonomous Cretan State with Greece.

The interior courtyard of what is left of Firka Fortress

The lion of the Republic of Venice

In Splantzia square is a church originally built by the Venetians as a convent between 1205 and 1320.

Saint Nicholas Church

In 1645, the church was converted into the main mosque of the city and was named Chiougkar Hassan, in honor of Sultan Ibrahim.

An interior shot of the incredible chandeliers of St. Nicholas Church

In 1918, after the conquer of the Orthodox Christians, the mosque was turned into a Christian basilica church, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, but it maintains its minaret.

You can see the steeple and minaret standing together, from many parts of town

Chania Municipal Market is located in the center of Chania, where the main bastion of the fortifications stood in Venetian times. Originally this was a rough area with butchers, fishmongers, grocers, and inns.

Inside the Municipal Market of Chania

In 1908 the Municipality of Chania decided to improve the area by building a covered municipal market. Designed by local engineer Drandakis. It is modeled after the covered market of Marseille.

Opened by Eleftherios Venizelos (leader of the Greek National Liberation Movement and a native of Chania) in 1913. It is in the shape of a cross and has four doors, 76 shops, and is considered the architectural jewel of Chania and one of the most impressive covered markets in the Balkans.

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Just a few of the many delectable items for sale in the Municipal Market

It was a very stormy day in Chania, while it did not rain the waves battered the sidewalks and the clouds threatened to storm. It was a great day to just sit and people watch.

Two kids having fun with the splashing waves

This delightful accordion player with his terrific smile was not daunted by the storm clouds

A man, a loaf of bread and the pigeons

A game of Backgammon

Homage to the Saints of Chania

Some beautiful Street Art

The waves batter the lighthouse of Chania

And here are some more random sights of the town:

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Χαίρετε From Chania, Crete

Crete, Greece

Oct 172016

October 17, 2016

Chania, Crete is a fascinating city with an equally fascinating history. It is a large city with an old town, Kasteli, that sits on the water with its narrow streets, hotels, restaurants and classic tourist perfect village, and I mean that in a good way.

Originally a Minoan settlement, the area around Kasteli has possibly been inhabited since the Neolithic period.

The first major wave of settlers from mainland Greece was by the Dorian Greeks and the town was important enough to be mentioned in Homer’s Illiad.

The city continued to thrive through the Byzantine period (324-823 AD) and during the 1st century Christianity began to spread. In 821-961 AD the city fell into the hands of the Arabs, though history is not very clear about this time, it has been described in texts as being a very dark period of history.

After the Fourth Crusade in 1204 Crete was given to Bonifacio, Marquess of Montferrat. He chose to sell it to the Venetians for 100 silver marks. However, in 1263, the Genoans seized the city and held it until 1285, when the Venetians returned.

The Venetian rule was initially strict and oppressive but slowly the relations between the two parts improved. Contact with Venice led to close intertwining of Cretan and Venetian cultures, without, however, the Cretans losing their Greek Orthodox nature.

Overlooking the old town of Chania

The Ottoman army took the city in 1645 after a two months’ siege. In 1821, the Greeks rose up against the Ottoman Empire, and obtained independence shortly thereafter. There was no Muslim population left after the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923.

Another important and dark period for the city of Chania was the invasion and occupation by German forces during World War II. Part of the city was bombed and a significant proportion of the area’s population was either executed or imprisoned due to their participation in the resistance. The Jewish community of Chania was annihilated during the German occupation. In 1944, most were transported off the island by the Nazis, when tragically a British torpedo sank the ship that was carrying most of the prisoners.

The Lighthouse

The Chania lighthouse, is the most photographed sight in the city and is one of the oldest lighthouses in the world. It was originally constructed by the Venetians around 1595 – 1601, and it took its final form, in the shape of a minaret, during the Egyptian Period (1831 – 1841) in around 1839. In 2006 it was restored on its Venetian base, keeping the minaret look. The lighthouse is no longer operational.

Walls surround the old portion of Chania. The Byzantine wall was built in the 6th and 7th century AD on the foundations of the Hellenistic walls to protect the town from Arab raids.

A good example of rubble being used to rebuild the wall, notice the columns imbedded in the wall.

A cannon along the harbor wall

Three centuries into the Venetian occupation (1205-1669) the threat from the Ottoman Empire was growing and prompted the Venetians to build massive fortifications around the towns of Heraklion, Rethymnon and Chania. The building of the Chania fortress by the military architect Michele Sanmicheli began in 1538 and took around 20 years to complete. The fortifications were over 65 feet tall and angled at 20° in order to make cannonballs ricochet off.

You can see the angle of the walls when you walk out to the lighthouse

When the walls were constructed to encompass the wider area of the town the older walls became useless, resulting in their being turned into dwellings.

The Venetian Shipyards (Neoria)

In response to the rising Turkish threat, the Venetians built these shipyards between 1526 and 1599 in order to maintain their growing naval fleet. The northern part of the shipyards actually opened to the sea. During the Turkish domination they fell into disrepair and only 7 of the original 17 still exist, obviously with modifications.

The interior of one of the shipyards is now a maritime museum.

They are great for acoustics as this trumpet player will attest.

This old Ottoman mosque, Giali Tamizi, sits right on the harbor and now serves as an exhibition and cultural space.

Theotokopoulou Street is one of the few streets that survived the bombing of WWII. A good number of Venetian buildings still exist, but the Turkish wood ones are the ones that really caught my eye.

Here are a few random shots taken throughout Kasteli:

Fisherman are everywhere,

as are cats.

The cafe culture is alive and well in Chania.

Sponges of all sizes and shapes for sale on the waterfront.

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Recommendations:

Hotel Palazzo Duca. The location is amazingly convenient, and the rooms are first rate. This is seriously the best night sleep I have had in weeks. A word to the wise. The town shuts down its streets to traffic beginning at 11:00 in the morning, so if you are coming in after that, just know you are going to have to take your luggage from your car to the hotels via their little wheels and your biceps.

Parking is really difficult in this town. There is free parking near the water, but it is jammed, we lucked out with a car pulling out as we were passing by, but I have watched others sit for quite a while, to say nothing of the crazy parking you see because the situation is so poor. I recommend you take a cab from the airport, and go back for your rental after your visit to Chania.

Restaurant that is a must: Salis. The service is impeccable and the food is modern and yet Greek. A great find very near the Maritime Museum. Here is a description from their website, and I could not have said it better: A chic alternative to its neighboring taverns, Salis takes an innovative turn on traditional Cretan gastronomy. The dishes are modern yet nostalgic, lavishly showcasing nature’s menu. We pride ourselves on choosing only the finest ingredients, sourcing true local produce from the region to enhance the unique flavors Crete has to offer. An artistic and unique dining experience, the calming sea and comforting aromas are sure to stimulate the senses.