Listed 6 sub titles with search on: History for wider area of: "HERAKLIO Prefecture CRETE" .
MATALA (Village) HERAKLIO
Matala was originally the harbour of Festos during the Minoan and
Greek period, and when Gortyn defeated Festos in 220 B.C., it became the harbour
of Gortyn. Traces of the ancient settlement are seen on the bottom of the sea.
Matala is famous for its man-made caves which were first inhabited during the
prehistoric period. Tombs found in the caves date from Greek, Roman and Early
Christian times.
GAZI (Municipality) HERAKLIO
The archeological data in Gazi and the neighboring settlements indicate the significance of the area since Minoan times. North from the settlement, at the mouth of the river it is considered to be the seaport of Tylissos at mid-Minoan III and late Minoan period. Nearby the settlement, Minoan statuettes were found, which according to professor Marinato represent solely one goddess, in different capacities: The Snake Goddess, the Pigeon Goddess (of the sky and love), the Poppy Goddess (of health and euphoria), the Goddess of War. Both in Kavrochori and Agia Marina settlement, there have been located remains of residential settlement of late Minoan Period III, Archaic and Hellenistic period. In addition, there were found tombs of late Minoan Period III with box-shaped sarcophagus (Gazi, Skafidara and Kavrochori). Finally, in the gorge of Almyros river there are ruins of churches dated back to 14th century.
In history texts of Venetian occupation period we meet the first references to the settlements of Gazi, Kavrochori, Kalessa. Venetian monuments are the Tris Eklisies (the three churches), the ruins in Almyros gorge, which date from 14th century, Agios Panteleymonas monastery and different Venetian mansions that are scattered at the settlements of Rodia, Pantanassa and Palaiokastro.
This extract is cited Oct 2002 from the Municipality of Gazi URL below.
HERAKLIO (Town) CRETE
Archaic - Classical - Hellenistic Period: During the ancient years the
main city was, without any doubt, Knossos. However, there must have existed a
kind of settlement, north of Knossos, near the city today, on a hill and at some
distance away from the sea with the name Heraklion. Archaeological remains from
the archaic, classical and Hellenistic period come to light, from time to time,
from different areas of the old city (area of Daidalou, Idomeneos, Meramvellou,
Xanthoudidou, D.Bofor and Epimenidou str.), mainly after excavations and earthworks
that take place before a new building is being erected, under the supervision
of the relevant Archaeological Service.
Roman Period: For this period the information about the city becomes richer.
Strabo, (even though he hadn't visited Crete) reports in "Geographica" that Heraklion
was the seaport of Knossos. A great number of important finds (mobile or otherwise)
of this period come mainly from graves but also from building complexes. The most
characteristic of the latter comes from the excavation of the museum's new plot
which preserves six mosaic floors in a very good condition.
First Byzantine Period: During this period (330 A.D to 824 A.D.) when Crete
becomes a "thema" (part) of the Byzantine empire and Gortyna the administrative,
military and religious centre, the settlement was known by the name "Castro".
Unfortunately due to lack of evidence for this period, but also of important archaeological
finds, it is difficult for someone to have a full picture of the town at that
period. During these years the whole island was being hit by pirate raids and
by natural distractions (earthquakes) that had as a result the decline and even
the disappearance of towns as urban centres.
The Arab Conquest: In 824 A.D. Castro was surrendered to its conquerors,
after Arab raids and the debarkation of the Arabs themselves on the island (822
A.D.-823 A.D.) that aimed at the gradual conquest of Crete. To this situation
contributed also the fact that the Byzantine state (empire) suffered continuous
disputes and internal upheavals. The town was now known as Rabdh el Khandac, meaning
the Fortress of the Trench, since the Arabs, along with their settlement, in order
to be protected, built a wall of raw bricks and around it they dug a deep trench
(Khandaq). From this name derived the later ones: Chandakas, of the Second Byzantine
period and Candia of the Venetian period. Chandakas which became the capital of
the island when Gortyna was deserted, occupied an area from Daidalou, Chandakos
str., the sea front, Epimenidou str., and part of Freedom Square. The Arabs developed
their own civilization on Crete, like the one of their contemporaries. They had
their own mint, a developed metal work, ceramic work and well built buildings.
A lot of information for the architecture and their life style has been revealed
during the excavation that took place in the old Kastella, east of the Church
of St. Peter and St. Paul.
2nd Byzantine Period - The recovery of Crete by the Byzantines: The Byzantines
tried continuously to recover Crete, without though any success. In 826 A.D. the
Byzantine General Krateros attempted, unfortunately unsuccessfully, a campaign
against the Arabs. The area of the battle and the shattering of the Byzantine
army by the Arabs, a few kilometers east of Heraklion, preserves even today the
name of the heroic General (Karteros).
Nikiforos Fokas: In 960 A.D. the General of the Byzantine army and the
later emperor Nikiforos Fokas campaigned against the Arabs. With armed forces,
fully equipped, he manages to liberate the whole island and to restrict the Arabs
into the well fortified Chandakas. After a siege of many months, in the spring
of 961 A.D. a general attack took place from the Byzantine and the mercenary troops
which resulted in the successful recovery of the city. Many Arabs were killed
or were taken prisoners, during the battle, as victims of the soldiers' brutality
in spite of Nikiforos Fokas' opposite instructions. The General himself took the
emir and his family to Constatinople, where they were honoured by the Byzantines.
The emir' s son adopted Christianity and served the emperor. Nikiforos Fokas,
on his way out of Chandakas, took with him a large amount of valuable booty that
the Arabs had gathered in the town. Nikiforos Fokas, in his aim to create a new
area, more secure for its citizens, since Chandakas was almost flattened, and
the fortification wall had, in a big part, been destroyed, built a new fort a
few kilometers to the south (near Kanli Kastelli). The new, though, settlers did
not wish to leave the deserted and destroyed Chandakas, since, apart from other
reasons, that city, due to its position, could serve their needs more.
The reconstruction of the city - Megalo Kastro: A second Byzantine Period
starts that will last until 1204 A.D. In Chandakas, now known by the name Kastro
(term for a fortified city or fortress) is settled by new settlers that come from
the elite Byzantine families, the higher lords, the army and the political administrative
body. The city is being rebuilt almost from the start, public and private buildings
are being erected, while the fortification wall is being repaired and completed
and the port is organized on a serious base. The administrative centre must have
been situated in the area where in the later years the Loggia, the Basilica of
St. Marc and the palace of the dukes were built by the Venetians (which is around
the area of 25th August str.). As far as the Byzantine fortification is concerned,
it is almost certain that in many of its parts it was based on the already existing
Arab stone foundation, parts of which came to light after excavations in building
plots along Daidalou str. for the erection of new buildings. A characteristic
of the fortification wall was the towers and the straight parts in between them.
The city, during this period, with the fortress and the port from which trade
was taking place with markets out of Crete, was the most important one on the
whole island. It had a growing economy and quiet rightly is referred to as Megalo
Kastro, a name that is still in the memory of the older Heraklion people. A very
big number of movable finds (coins, excellent samples of glazed ceramic work)
has come to light from excavations and earth works in different parts of the city.
At the same time building complexes, two large public baths, built with special
care, in Koronaiou and in Chortatson str., cisterns and graves were uncovered.
The city gradually starts to expand towards the south creating different suburbs.
Venetian Period: In 1204 A.D., the year of the fall of Constatinople and
basically the disruption of the Byzantine Empire by the Crusades, the Megalo Kastro,
as the whole island passed into Venetian hands, after certain agreements. The
Venetians, being at the same time engaged with the occupation of other areas,
did not give the proper attention and significance and this had as a result for
Crete to pass into the hands of the General Pirate Erricos Pescatore. Due to the
special geographical position and importance of the island, the Venetians did
not want to lose that possession, so after a lot of adventures, they will become
once again in 1211 the sovereigns of the island, a rule that will last until 1669.
Crete became one whole administrative district with the name "Kingdom of Candia"
(Regno di Candia). For the first 150 years there will be a lot of revolutions
from the Cretan's side, a fact that proves that the people did not submit without
any protest in the Venetian domination and servitude. After 1367 Crete starts
to live a rather peaceful period.
Castro - Candia: The Castro, which is now named Candia by the Venetians,
became the capital of the island, the seat of every Duke and all the other authorities,
the centre of the intellectual and artistic life. The city becomes one of the
most important urban centres of that period in the whole eastern Mediterranean.
The city continues to be expanded out of the limits of the old fortification,
creating strongly the need of a new one that would include the suburbs.
New Fortification: The new walls with their monumental portals form a representative
characteristic of the fortification art and even today they form one of the most
significant monuments of the kind in the Mediterranean basin. The city port with
the arsenals is also one of the most important commercial centre in the area from
where a lot of Cretan products (wine, olive oil, cheese) are exported and traded
in the biggest European markets.
Artistic movement: Other sections also flourished like painting (in the
16th century the well known Cretan school is formed and Dominikos Theotokopoulos,
the later El Greco starts his art work), literature, poetry, theatre with astonishing
examples in every domain creating a special Cretan cultural idiom in the area.
Architecture:
The architecture is another section of development and flourishing which is represented in public and private buildings as is the dukes' palace, the venetian metropolitan church of St.Mark with its bell tower (today used as a municipal gallery where important exhibitions take place as was the one of The Portaits of Fayium). The "Loggia" (the Noble's Club during the Venetian period) is used today as part of the Town Hall. Various Venetian and Orthodox churches, fountains are some of the monuments that still exist even today in the old town. We shouldn't though forget that all this flourishing that took place in that period was realized with the hard work of simple Cretan people.
The Turkish threat: A new superpower comes at that time to the front that
is going to bring a real upheaval in the "status quo" and it is the Ottoman Empire.
In 1645 the Turkish fleet appears in the Cretan coastline and gradually one town
after the other passes into the hands of the new conquerors. Chandakas resists
for more than 20 years and the siege around the city's fortress comes to an end
after a betrayal by the Venetian - Cretan mechanic Andreas Barotsis who revealed
to the Turkish pasha Ahmet Kioprouli the weakest parts of the fortress (in the
eastern and the western part, in the bastion of Sabbionara and the bastion of
St. Andreas).
Castro under the Turkish occupation: Crete was made part of a new "egialeti",
that means of a new administrative region of the Ottoman Empire that had Chandakas
as a "capital", now called Kandiye or Kastro by the Turks. In the city there are
all the official services, the seat of the "Grammatikos", that is of the interpreter
of the "Pyli". Chandakas was almost totally destroyed and ravaged. A lot of extended
repairs were done in buildings and in the fortification wall, while most of the
churches were made into mosques. New fountains are built in different parts of
the city in order to confront the problem of lack of water. The last period's
cultural flourishing stopped, while there is a similar decline in the economy
and the trade. From the beginning, though, of the 18th century we could note a
steady development and a change in the economic life of the city with the participation
of Christians in various commercial activities. The revolutions during this period
did not stop, proving by this the desire of Cretan people for freedom and re-union
with Greece.
19th century: In the first decades of the next century the city changed
name into Herakleia and later Heraklion, as it is known today. Turks transferred
the capital of the island from Heraklion to Chania, without this implying the
decline of Heraklion which is developing into one of the most important urban
centres of that period with a great commercial and economic flourishing. The last
page of the Turkish occupation took place in Heraklion in August 1898 when enraged
Turks attacked and slaughtered hundreds of unarmed Christians together with 17
English soldiers and the English Consul Lyssimachos Kalokairinos. In November
of the same year the last Turkish soldier leaves the island, while the next month
the High Commissioner Prince George is embarked in Souda (Chania) and the "Kritiki
Politeia" (Cretan State) is founded by the "high protection" of England, Italy,
France and Russia until 1913 when the union with Greece is being achieved.
20th century: With the dawn of the 20th century a new era for Crete starts.
Heraklion is being rapidly developed, its population is also increasing (urbanism)
and by extension its housing needs are being multiplied. And all these happen
many times at the expense of the historical character of the town. In the name
of modernization, of development and progress a lot of monuments of the historical
centre of the city are being demolished without any planning while at the same
time the fortifications are being seriously changed without any way of going back
to their previous state. The historical Heraklion lives in the rhythm of a big
modern city, day to day though, it becomes more obvious the need of keeping the
bonds with the past by preserving and demonstrating its monuments.
Kallia Nikolidakis, ed., Archaeologist of Heraklion Municipality
This text is cited Nov 2003 from the Municipality of Heraklion URL below.
Receive our daily Newsletter with all the latest updates on the Greek Travel industry.
Subscribe now!
