Listed 11 sub titles with search on: Main pages for wider area of: "APOKORONOU Province CHANIA" .
DOULIANA (Settlement) VAMOS
Douliana is a small community
in this district, situated on a hill with beautiful natural surroundings and interesting
architecture. This traditionally preserved community has maintained its character
more than any other community in the area. Many foreigners live permanently in
the village. The locals take a great interest in issues regarding the preservation
of the community.
This text is cited September 2004 from the Interkriti URL below, which contains images.
GAVALOCHORI (Village) VAMOS
Tel: +30 28250 22625
The small village Aspro (Koprana), built upon a hill, consists mainly
of buildings dating from the 18th century and is inhabited predominantly by foreigners.
Gavalohori is a large old village
with particularly interesting and well-preserved folk architecture. In this officially
protected, traditional village a lot of interesting buildings can be found, such
as the 18th century two-roomed, arched olive oil press, the temples of Panagia
and Agios Sergios, the old school and many residences.
Visitors can also find the unique folklore
museum of the prefecture of Hania, organised by the Ministry of Culture, filled
with a wealth of displays of folk life.
The landscape around the village still has its natural beauty. Plenty
of opportunities for walks are provided around the group of Venetian
wells, the Roman cemetery, the neighbourhood and the church of Agios Pavlos.
A women association continuing the old art of lace making (kopaneli) and dealing
generally with alternative tourism also exists in Gavalohori. Gavalohori could
offer environmental management training as well as other activities at the Environmental
Educational Centre, which is currently under construction.
KAINA (Village) VAMOS
Tel: +30 28250 22440
The southwest road from Vamos
leads through the well-preserved community of Tsikoliana to the interesting village
of Kaina, which has many buildings
dating from the years of the Turkish occupation. Outside the small community of
Genitsari Metohi or Platanos, one can find the church of Agios Antonios with its
frescoes from the 14th century, the beautiful location Sopoto and on the national
road the small church of Agios Fanourios
where many people come to worship and where interesting religious events take
place. From Kaina the national road provides a further route to the district of
Vamos and access to the mountainous area of Fre.
KALAMITSI ALEXANDROU (Village) VAMOS
Tel: +30 28250 22551
The small community of Kalamitsi Alexandrou is situated 8 km away from Vamos.
It is an old and well-preserved village with narrow streets, the large, modern,
cross-shaped and domed church of Agia Triada and impressively constructed underground
reservoir "Softas" dating from the Turkish occupation.
KEFALAS (Village) VAMOS
Tel: +30 28250 22725
The community of Kefalas is situated approximately 4 km to the east
of Vamos. During
the Venetian occupation higher and lower Kefalas were classed as two separate
villages, however, today they have become one. It is a large village built in
an outstanding position facing the sea with architecture dominated by the influence
of the early and late years of the Turkish occupation. This influence is well
preserved despite the existence of other architectural styles.
The church of Timios Stavros (16th century) is the oldest building
of the village while the more recent churches of Panagia, Agios Antonios, and
Michael the archangel, works of the reputed Kefalas craftsmen, are examples of
folk architecture of the 19th century.
A further example of the work of the same craftsmen is the Public
School of Kefalas, which in accordance with the decision of the county council
of Hania will house the Environmental
Educational Centre of the prefecture, a foundation that will play a definitive
role in the development of the municipality of Vamos. Other interesting communities
are Paleloni and Drapanos in the
direction of Kokino Horio. The road from Paleloni leads to Embrosgialo, a relatively
easily accessible place, along the steep coastline, which extends to Georgioupoli.
KOKINO CHORIO (Village) VAMOS
Kokino Horio, which
is located at a higher altitude, has maintained its traditional architectural
style even more so than the other villages with its narrow roads, beautiful gates
and tiled roofs.
A group of cisterns, built in a sloping field, gather the rainwater,
an interesting example of local architecture, dealing with the permanent problem
of lack of water. Above Kokino Horio one can see the strangely shaped hill Drapanokefala
or Calapodha (so named during the venetian occupation). The coastline northwest
of the village is an extremely interesting place for a stroll due to the ground
formation and the caves, such as the cave of Petsi (or Karavotopos). Another cave
called Katalimata, located at the centre of the village, is also an interesting
site.
At cape Drapano, approximately 10 metres under water, is the impressive
Elephant cave, an area 60mx60m
full of stalactites and stalagmites of various shapes and colours.
PLAKA (Village) VAMOS
On the road from Kalives there is a junction for Almirida. The old
monastery of Panagia Keras is located on a beautiful small beach after Kasteli,
while towards Gavalohori one can see remains of the old public road with its arched
bridge and tollbooth.
Almirida, a small fishing village, evolved into a tourist resort a
few years ago and is an area which demands particular attention from the municipality
of Vamos. At the entrance of the village the 13th division for Byzantine antiquities
of the Archaeological Receipts Fund has uncovered the ruins of an old (6th century)
Christian Basilica separated into three, with mosaics, which are both of excellent
quality and have been exceptionally well preserved. On Finikias hill above the
Basilica (as well as on the small island of Karga) are the remains of a Greek-Roman
town a short distance away from Almirida.
The village of Plaka is built on the slope of a hill with a view of
the Souda bay. It is a community with interesting architectural style, which is
unfortunately changing due to intense building mainly for tourist purposes. The
surrounding environment has maintained its character well and is ideal for walks
either inland or along the coast. Plaka retains its traditional identity, which
must be protected through checks on new buildings in order to prevent the alteration
of the traditional architectural style. Every summer Cretan music festivals take
place in Plaka, the "Plakiana", in honour of Michael Papadakis, from Plaka, a
fine lyra player of recent years.
SELLIA (Village) VAMOS
The community of Pano and
Kato Selia is built on the slope of a hill and surrounded by greenery. It
boasts interesting examples of folk architecture, like the older village
of Souri, with its neoclassical church of Agios Ioannis Theologos.
The coast with the steep cliffs and the wide variety of self-growing
plants near Likotinara is an area of interest and is included with the surrounding
area in the European Community Directive, Natura 2000. Kefalas
and the nearby communities of Selia and Xerosterni
surround a big formation (Dolinis), Roupakia
or Orpakia, an area rich in woody plants, old agricultural facilities (roads,
stone farm houses, wells and other facilities), flora and fauna.
Through the environmental educational programmes this area of natural beauty
will develop and prosper.
VAMOS (Village) CHANIA
Tel: +30 28250 83710, 83723
Fax: +30 28250 83726
Vamos (aerial photograph),
the capital of Apokoronos district and previously of the Sfakia prefecture-today
capital of the new municipality- is an exceptionally interesting
village that the Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works
has classed as traditional.
It is more like a small town, very well preserved, with folk and neoclassical
architectural elements (cultural centre).
The initiative of a group of inhabitants to create an association
for the preservation of the village as well as alternative tourism strategies
is already paying off while constituting a model for further local progress. Their
organisation successfully manages to make all visitors friends of Vamos. They
enchant visitors with the beauty of their village (lane),
lying green (Vamos grove) and
peaceful at the foot of Madares, with their warm hospitality, traditional
cafes - kafeneion - , beautiful old buildings behind each of which lies a
story, and their wonderful steep lanes.
The famous art and cultural festivals are good opportunities for everyone
to experience the hospitality and entertainment Vamos can offer. Interesting buildings
in the village are the Agios Nikolaos and Agios Georgios churches, the restored
old school (built in 1863) with the old girl's school in its yard, which is now
used as a guesthouse.
Vamos was the site of many battles in 1866 and 1896. The 1896 events
attracted foreign interest and were the cause of the General Cretan Revolutionary
Meeting (with Roussos Koundouros presiding) in Vamos with the aim of the independence
of Crete (memorial).
It is worthwhile visiting Vamos. It is worth becoming one of the "initiated"
friends of Vamos.
In the district of Vamos, in the venetian village of Karidi Kartsomado
one can see the ruins of the small single-roomed monastery of Panagia
at Katomeri, complete with frescoes dating from the 13th century.
Opposite the aforementioned village lies another venetian village,
Karidi of Agios Georgios, with its venetian villa and other buildings including
the large monastery of Agios Georgios,
which is still active and constitutes the most interesting architectural element
in the prefecture of Hania. Buildings such as the large olive oil press can be
restored and become a living agricultural museum or cater for a wide variety of
public events.
VRYSSES (Village) KRYONERIDA
XIROSTERNI (Village) VAMOS
Tel: +30 28250 23220
The road east of Vamos
leads through a group of small villages, surrounded by wonderful scenery and very
well preserved local folk architecture. Xerosterni,
which is built around the interesting church of Christ and in whose honour a festival
takes place every year on the 5th and 6th of August, is the best preserved village
of all, maintaining its traditional style with many old houses. The road continues
towards Litsarda passing through
the archaeologically interesting cave of Dafne or Tripa.
Even though the village has lost some of its traditional character
it remains interesting and it is worth visiting the church of Panagia with its
fine wood-carved reredos and icons made by the Rethymnian A. Vivilakis.
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