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Knosos
Crete, mountainous landscape
Knosos
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Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous island of Greece and
the fifth largest of the Mediterranean. Crete has
significant findings from the Paleolithic Age and Stone Age
dating back 130,000 to 190,000 years BCE. It occupies a
special place in Greek mythology, one myth referring to the
Ideon Andron, or Ideon Cave, on a mountain plateau on
Mt. Ida (or Mt. Psiloritis) of Crete, as the birthplace of
Zeus. In the period 3000-1400 BC, the Minoan civilization
flourished, one of the first European civilizations, its
main centers being Knossos and Phaistos, where
palace complexes were found which are preserved today as
unique archaeological discoveries of an entire civilization.
The capital and biggest city is Heraklion, the
commercial hub and port of the island of Crete. Chania ,
with
its
old
town
located
around
the
Venetian
port
and surrounded by the surviving Venetian
fortifications, is one of the most attractive cities of the
Mediterranean and preserves examples of all the cultures
that have passed through. The picturesque town of
Rethymno, possessing outstanding sights, is extremely
popular with tourists. The Sacred Monastery of Arkadi
is an Orthodox monastery complex, going back to the period
of Venetian rule on the island, which has been designated as
a European Freedom Monument by UNESCO. Crete is famous for
her traditional music and local instruments, such as the
lyre, the lute, the violin and the mandolin, as well as more
generally for art and literature. The Cretan School,
an important school of icon painting, was developed on the
island during the Renaissance, also receiving influences
from Eastern and Western Europe. It influenced Dominikos
Theotokopoulos, the Cretan painter, sculptor and
architect of the Spanish Renaissance, known worldwide as
El Greco.
Crete is famous for her countless areas of natural beauty,
including many gorges and endless trekking routes for
walking tour enthusiasts. The Samaria Gorge, the
longest gorge in Europe, has been designated by UNESCO as a
unique Biosphere Reserve, while the Council of Europe has
declared it a “monument of natural beauty”. Crete is one of
the most popular of international holiday destinations, this
being due as much to her warm climate with high temperatures
and plentiful sunshine as to her numerous enchanting beaches
to be found both on the northern Aegean-facing side and on
her southern side facing the Libyan Sea. The small offshore
island of Elafonissi with its white sands,
crystal-clear waters and unusual landscape all forming a
magical environment, Falasarna with its sand dunes,
Balos with its turquoise waters, the palm-forest
beach of Vai, Preveli are only a few of the
multiple world-renowned seashores of exceptional beauty
located on the island. A popular travel destination is the
picturesque town of Agios Nikolaos and its small
harbor, a lagoon in the center of the city. Cretan
hospitality is world famous, as is also the Cretan cuisine
with its tasty hors-d’oeuvres and delectable traditional
dishes.
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