Location information

Venetian Villa De Mezzo

ETIA (Settlement) LASSITHI
Tel: +30 28430 23917
  Etia is situated between the Papagiannades and Armenoi villages. Doubtless the name "Etia" comes from the namesake tree (Itia in Greek means willow). Though the settlement already existed in the Byzantine period - as the Byzantine churches of St. John and St. Catherine indicate - it flourished at the time of the Venetian occupation in Crete (1204-1669), as a fiefdom of the Venetian family De Mezzo. The jewel of their estate is villa De Mezzo, which is considered among the most characteristic examples of the Venetian urban architecture in Crete. In the following years of the Ottoman occupation, it was used as the residence of the Turkish officials, and therefore named by the locals "Seragio-Saray".
  The first to mention that the villa of Etia was built by a rich and noble Venetian was the English Admiral T. B. Spratt, whose comments on his travels in Crete remain a valuable historical source from the mid-19th century. Later, the Italian archaeologist G. Gerola, links the owner of the villa with the members of the De Mezzo family. According to the genealogical records of the Venetian gentry there were three Mezzi in Sitia, Pietro, Nicholas and Giacobbe. Among them, Pietro dei Mezzo is considered to be the founder of the Etia estate and the owner of its villa towards the end of the 15th century.
  The very emblem of De Mezzo, consisting of exotic figures bearing a broad shield, stands over the imposing entrance of the main megaron. By passing the entrance of the three-storey building, the visitor enters a barrel-vaulted antechamber with paved floor. Opposite the entrance, a staircase leads to the second floor. Here, on the lintel of the entrance to the floors, around a relief head, runs the following inscription in capital Latin letters:

INTRA VOSTRA SIGNIORIA SENZA RISPETTO
namely
let your lordship come in, without embarrassment
Right from the corridor, one enters a big, oblong hall, possibly the servants' dining room, while the small dark space on the left could be the cellar. The antechamber also leads to halls with rib-vault, arched or vaulted ceilings and large windows facing to the yard. A small secluded room, that sticks out of the west wall of the villa could be a prison cell. Outside the megaron, just south of the courtyard, there were other vaulted apartments, the warehouses of the rich host.
  In the turbulent years of the 19th century Cretan revolts against the Ottoman regime, the villa suffered extensive damage and, as a result, the second and third floor of the building collapsed in ruins. Subsequently, abandonement and time came to fill the wear, until the villa was declared preserved historical monument and was restored by the Archaeological Service.

References
• Municipality of Lefki
• Municipality of Sitia

Venetian Fort

SITIA (Town) LASSITHI
  There were fortifying walls around the city of Sitia from the Byzantine period. These fortifications were restored by the Genoese and by the Venetians but were never very strong. In 1539, the pirate Barbarosa conquered the city and levelled the forts and the town. When the Turks invaded the island the Venetians destroyed the fort so that it would not fall into the hands of Turks. The ruins of a Venetian castle are still visible today. A tower of three storeys has survived. North of the fort there is a little chapel built from the ruins of a Venetian monastery destroyed by the Turks.

This text is cited Mar 2003 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains images.

Crete TOURnet WebPage
• http://www.crete.tournet.gr/Site.jdp?ID=107 (6 img.)

Palm Grove

VAI (Beach) LASSITHI
  It is perhaps the most frequently visited place in the region. The existence of the grove, already known in the Classical period, was attributed to the Phoenicians who landed here. According to the story, they threw away the seeds of the dates they were eating. Due to repeated fires, the authorities have lately fenced off the whole area and routes to the beach.

Crete TOURnet WebPage
• http://www.crete.tournet.gr/Site.jdp?ID=1419 (4 img.)

• http://www.palaikastro.com/wheretogo/index.html (1 img.)

Turkish Fountain

CHANDRAS (Village) LEFKI

Crete TOURnet WebPage
• http://www.crete.tournet.gr/Site.jdp?ID=133 (4 img.)

Το φαράγγι του Λαμνονιού

LAMNONI (Settlement) LEFKI

Municipality of Sitia WebPage
• http://www.sitia.gr/faragia.htm (1 img.)

The Gorge of Chochlakies

PALEKASTRO (Small town) ITANOS
Fantastic canyon situated 5km away from Palekastro, with about 2,5-3 km length. Its path is a special experience which gonna fill with enthusiasm the nature lovers thanks to its impressive and wild beauty. After a walk of about 1.30 hour the gorge winds up at a virgin and unspoiled beach, ideal for swimming, fishing and resting.

• http://www.palaikastro.com/wheretogo/index.html (1 img.)

PEFKI (Village) MAKRYS GIALOS

Municipality of Sitia WebPage
• http://www.sitia.gr/faragia.htm (1 img.)

Venetian villa

CHANDRAS (Village) LEFKI
  In Handras there is the Venetian Villa Voila, easily seen from the road as it is spread across a small hill to the east of the village in the middle of a green and fertile valley. There are ruins of a house and a small church, Agios Georgios, and a fountain behind and below the church.

Crete TOURnet WebPage
• http://www.crete.tournet.gr/Site.jdp?ID=132 (5 img.)

Voilas - mediaeval village

Municipality of Lefki WebPage
• http://www.dimoslefkis.gr/voila/index.html (5 img.)

ITANOS (Municipality) LASSITHI

Photos: Municipality of Itanos WebPage
• http://www.palaikastro.com/nature/index.html (9 img.)

First Byzantine period bassilica

ITANOS (Ancient city) ITANOS
  Remains of the first Byzantine period include those of a basilica of the fifth century which was probably a converted temple of Athena.

Crete TOURnet WebPage
• http://www.crete.tournet.gr/Site.jdp?ID=69 (6 img.)