Listed 72 sub titles with search on: Information about the place for wider area of: "MONOFATSIO Province HERAKLIO" .
AGIA VARVARA (Municipality) HERAKLIO
This municipality is located in the centre of the Heraklion prefecture,
and according to some, in the centre of Crete. It is surrounded by 8 different
municipalities: to the north, Gorgolaini, Tetrachoriou and Temenos; to the east,
those of Nikos Kazantzakis and Asteroussia; those of Kofinas and Gortys to the
south and finally, to the west, the municipality of Rouva. This municipality includes
seven of the former communities: Aghia Varvara, Aghios Thomas, Moulia, Douli,
Larani, Megali Vrisi and Prinias. The municipality covers a surface of about 10.000
ha., from Malevizi to Monofatsi and the Kenourio province; it has over 5.000 inhabitants.
Geographically, the municipality lies at the foot of the Psiloritis mountain,
at 530 m above sea level, and is one of the main thoroughfares leading up the
mountain. It forms part of the mountainous landscape of the island.
The main sources of production are agriculture (olive trees and vineyards)
and cattle raising (sheep). Other activities in the region are the following:
olive oil production, cheese and dairy production, distillation of "tsikoudia"
or "raki", as well as commercial activities and public services.
Aghia Varvara is the chief town (seat) of the municipality with the
same name. It has a population of more than 2.000 inhabitants and is 30 km away
from the city of Heraklion, by the road that leads from Heraklion to Aghia Varvara,
Moires and Phaistos, one of the main highways crossing the island from north to
south.
Municipality Tel.: +3 0894 23741 & 23742
Fax: +3 0894 23743
Historical Background
The municipality has a rich archaeological and cultural past. The
ancient city of Rizinia was located on a conspicuous height (686 m) near the settlement
of Prinias. This height, also known as 'Patela of Prinias', is only accessible
from the west.
The panoramic view extends as far as the island of Dia in the Cretan
sea to the north, and to the Paximadi island to the south, in the Lybian sea.
It was the Italian School of Archaeology that excavated in 1906-1908 the ruins
of ancient Rizinia, a city of importance from Post-Minoan to Hellenistic times
(1600 to 67 BC). Its most notable monuments belong to the Classic period of the
7th and 6th centuries BC.
The location was highly strategic: Rizinia lay half way between Knossos
and Gortys, the two largest cities in Crete, one to the north, the other to the
south, and from the Patela height, the town commanded a large area. The ruins
of an imposing Hellenistic castle have been found (330-70BC), built from stones
cut out of more ancient buildings and tombs. Some of the stones bear inscriptions
and are incised with different shapes: on one there is a female figure wearing
a long chiton, holding a spindle and with a half-filled distaff on the lower part.
On another, a warrior, with helmet, shield and lance. These stones come from a
burial site belonging to the first Hellenistic period. A great number of sherds,
votive clay objects and figurines have been found among the ruins of ancient Rizinia,
as well as the remnants of two temples. One of them, to the east of the site,
was dedicated to the goddess Rhea and from the charred bones that were excavated,
it seems obvious that animal sacrifices were held there. Many sculptures in porous
stone were found in and around the temple, and are now in the Archaeological Museum
of Heraklion. Close by, the cemetery was excavated, bringing to light interesting
objects found in the tombs.
According to many archaeologists, the ancient town of Panona was located
not far off, where the village of Aghios Thomas now stands. Around the village
there are many caves, cisterns and a beautiful wine-press, all cut out of the
rock.
The Sights
A visit to the municipality of Aghia Varvara is indispensable for
those who want to get to know Crete, especially the hinterland. There are many
sites of interest for the visitor.
Archaeological Sites
Ancient Rizinia and the cemetery at Prinias. Tombs carved out of the
rock and the wine-press at Aghios Thomas.
Natural Sites
The valley of Prinias, the Perdikokorifi at Prinias, the Acropolis
at Rizinia, the unique "forest" of oleanders in Crete, and the drive
from Moni Kardiotissa to Aghios Antonios in the Aghios Thomas area.
The height of Taga with the Aeolian park, between Aghia Varvara and
Moulia, and the hill at Anemomilos.
Churches and Chapels
The churches of Aghios Ioasaf, Spiliotissa, Kardiotissa, Aghios Antonios
in Aghios Thomas.
Byzantine churches of Profitis Ilias, Aghios Giorgos in Aghia Varvara
and Aghios Ioannis in Megali Vrisi, and the old monastery of Aghia Pelagia. The
church of Zoodochos Pigi in Ano Moulia, those of Armiri and Aghia Anna in Megali
Vrisi, and the church of Aghios Nikolaos in Douli. The municipality of Aghia Varvara
has a unique richness in flora and fauna, of great interest and beauty.
Communications
The municipality has good paved roads linking all the villages to
each other and making access easy to all the sites.
There is a bus service from Heraklion to all the villages in the municipality,
leaving every half hour from the square Machis Kritis at the Chanioporta in Heraklion.
This text is cited September 2004 from the Interkriti URL below, which contains images.
AGIA VARVARA (Village) MONOFATSIO
This unimposing town is the crossroads for various excursions. Agia
Varvara 30km southwest of Iraklion, is located at important crossroads to the
Mesara Plain and south of the Psiloritis Mountains towards Rethimnon. The excursions
from Iraklion towards the important archaeological sites of Mesara go through
Agia Varvara. The resorts towns of Matala and Agia Galini that can be used as
the basis for excursions in Mesara are to the west of Agia Varvara (Agia Varvara
- Agii Deka - Mires - Matala or Agia Varvara - Agii Deka - Mires - Timbaki - Agia
Galini).
This text is cited Feb 2003 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains image.
AGIOS THOMAS (Village) AGIA VARVARA
Agios Thomas is 30km southwest of Iraklion on the road Iraklion -
Venerato - Agios Thomas. Agios Thomas is believed to be the location of the ancient
Greek city Pannona. Several remains have been found in the area. In addition,
there are several interesting Byzantine churches nearby. This small village is
between Psiloritis and the Dikte Mountains of Lassithi. It separates the Mesara
Plain from the north. During the Venetian era it was a large town that the Turks
destroyed in 1821 and 1866. Archaeologists discovered ancient Roman tombs, cisterns,
and early Greek writing in the area. The area of Agios Thomas was reputed to have
had 38 churches in the past.
This text is cited Feb 2003 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains image.
ANO MOULIA (Village) AGIA VARVARA
The village of Ano Moulia is 32km south of Iraklion on the Iraklion
- Agia Varvara - Ano Moulia - Agii Deka road and has the Byzantine church of Agii
Apostoli.
Various WebPages
APINIO (Village) KOFINA
This village is located at a height of 320 m above sea-evel, a short distance of Sokaras, to the north of Asimi. It is mentioned in the 1583 Register with 280 inhabitants. Residents of Apoini found an important collection of ancient coins in the ruins of Velouli in 1957, but nobody knows what has become of it.
ARKALOCHORI (Small town) HERAKLIO
The town of Arkalohori is 33km southeast of Iraklion. People from
Iraklion and Lassithi go to the well-known Saturday market here. In the village
cemetery there is the Byzantine church of Michael Archangelos.
ASTEROUSSIOI (Municipality) HERAKLIO
ATSIPADES (Village) KOFINA
At a height of 460 m above sea-level, this village lies 5 km to the north-west of Asimi, the county town of the municipality of Kofina. Built on a hill, it offers the visitor a panoramic view of the Messara plain.
A first reference to Atsipades is found in a document of 1248, and from then on it is mentioned in every census, including the Turkish and the Egyptian ones.The church of Aghia Ekaterini inside the village has its feast day on November 25th. Another church worth visiting is that of Aghia Paraskevi, close to a water spring and among lovely trees. Some wall paintings still remain in the chapel, though in a poor state. The feast day is on July 27th. Finally, the chapel of Afenti Christos, hidden among the olive groves, has its feast day on August 6th.
This text is cited Dec 2003 from the Interkriti URL below.
CHARAKAS (Village) ASTEROUSSIOI
Harakas is 50km south of Iraklion on the Iraklion - Knossos - Kounavi
- Houdetsi - Ligortinos - Harakas road. In the area near Harakas there are some
Roman and Venetian remains as well as a Byzantine church.
DIONYSSIO (Village) KOFINA
On the north flanks of the Asteroussia mountains, at a height of 250 m above sea-level, 7 km away from Asimi,lies the village of Dionysi. It owes its name to the church of Aghios Dionysios, whose feast day (October 3rd) is much celebrated by the local population. Visitors come from neighbouring villages and are invited by the villagers into their houses where they are offered wine and traditional food. The same tradition is repeated on the feast day of the Evangelistria, March 25th. Other churches and chapels are those of Saints Constantine and Helen, that of the Transformation of Our Saviour, the chapel of Aghios Georgios and that of Zoodochos Pigi, in the midst of lush vegetation and celebrating its feast day on the first Friday after Easter Sunday. The village main income is based on olive oil, raisins and garden produce.
This text is cited Dec 2003 from the Interkriti URL below.
DRAPETI (Village) ARKALOCHORI
The village of Drapeti is 40km southeast of Iraklion and it has a
Byzantine church.
FOURNOFARANGO (Settlement) KOFINA
This village is situated 11 km to the west of Asimi. It figures in all the Venetian censi of the province of Monofatsio, as well as in the Turkish and Egyptian censi. Chourmoutzis Vyzantios CHECK in 1842 mentions the existence to the east of Fournofarango of a large church dedicated to Aghios Georgios Koulouritis, in the middle of a ruined and abandoned town bearing the same name.
Nowadays,the feast of Aghios Georgios at Koulourida, 1 km away, is celebrated with great pomp on April 23rd, in the midst of the lush vegetation of the Asteroussia mountains. The location offers a splendid view over the whole region. A water spring in the middle of the chapel is believed to have healing powers, and indeed it has a wonderful light taste. Many people come from afar to carry it back to their homes.The Cultural Association of the village has been very active and successful in reviving old traditions.
This text is cited Dec 2003 from the Interkriti URL below.
KAPETANIANA (Settlement) KOFINA
The village of Kapetaniana is in the Asterousia Mountains south of
the Mesara plain, 71km from Iraklion on the Iraklion - Agia Varvara - Agii Deka
- Vagionia - Kapetaniana road, where the Byzantine church of the Panagia is located.
This village is situated at an altitude of 750 m above sea-level, 11 km away from Asimi. It is not mentioned in any of the Venetian censi, though its Byzantine church dates back to the 15th century. There is a Minoan peak sanctuary close to the summit of the Kofinas mountain, in a place known as Metzolati. Many finds help to identify this location as a former shrine: several animal and human clay figurines and bronze votive objects were found in nearby caves. Nowadays the church of the Holy Cross has replaced the ancient sanctuary, but the panoramic view remains the same. The church has its feast day on September 14th. On the other hand, the village celebrates the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary on August 15th, when a typical Cretan feast takes place every year. There is a series of beautiful beaches, like that of Aghios Ioannis and others, along the coast down from Kapetaniana towards Koudouma, but they are very difficult to reach and only the very fit should undertake such a walk. The difficulty of access explains why this wonderful coast has retained its original beauty and wilderness.
This text is cited Dec 2003 from the Interkriti URL below.
KASTELI (Village) KOFINA
7 km to the north of Asimi, this village is mentioned in documents of 1375 and in the 1583 Register of Chandax. The fortress of Castel Bonifaccio, which gave its name -Monofatsio- to the whole province, was built on a height of 400 m above sea-level to the north-west of the village. There are two main churches, that of Saints Constantine and Helen (feast day on May 21st) and the old church of Aghios Dimitrios.
This text is cited Dec 2003 from the Interkriti URL below.
LOURES (Village) KOFINA
2 km to the west of the county town, and at a height of 270 m above sea-level, this village has about 280 inhabitants, most of them refugees from Asia Minor.
It is mentioned in the 1583 Register, with 109 inhabitants.
Olive oil, raisins and garden produce are the main products. The village celebrates the feast of the Holy Cross on September 14th.
MIKRI EPIKOSPI (Settlement) ARKALOCHORI
Mikri Episkopi of Milopotamos is 34km east of Rethimnon between the
Psiloritis and Kouloukonas mountains. Road Rethimnon - Panormon - Perama - Mourtzana,
turning south just before Mourtzana. In Episkopi there are the impressive remains
of the bishopric of Milopotamos.
PANAGIA (Village) KOFINA
6 km to the south-west of Asimi, on the north flanks of the Aasteroussia mountains, at a height of 295 m above sea-level, lies the village of Panaghia. It is referred to as Petropanaga because of the small settlement of Petria, not far away to the west. Significant archaeological finds were unearthed in the location known as Patela, not far from the village. Among these, several clay figurines and zodiac signs of the Middle Minoan period, possibly from some peak sanctuary, a Greek figurine of the sitting goddess and a large number of Greek and Roman coins. It is possible that an ancient city was once erected on this location. The chapels outside the village are all located in beautiful surroundings and are worth visiting. Their feast days are all celebrated by the local population.
This text is cited Dec 2003 from the Interkriti URL below.
PARTIRA (Village) ARKALOCHORI
The village of Partira is located 37km southeast of Iraklion, 4km
southwest of Arkalohori. In the area near the village there are some Byzantine
churches.
Prinias is 35km southwest of Iraklion on the Iraklion - Agios Miron
- Kato Asites - Prinias road. The area of Prinias contains Minoan and Greek era
remains.
PYRGOS (Village) ASTEROUSSIOI
Pirgos is 50km south of Iraklion on the Iraklion - Knossos - Kounavi
- Houdetsi - Pirgos road. In the middle of the town on the south side of the street
and clearly marked, is the fourteenth century church of Agii Georgios and Konstantinos.
SOKARAS (Village) KOFINA
Less than 3 km to the north-east of Asimi, at a height of 360 m above sea-level, this village probably owes its name to a Byzantine family called Sokaras, a name that means: "he who makes ropes".
The settlement is mentioned in 1271 in an agreement between an inhabitant and a Jew from Chandax for the purchase of good wheat and good cheese from the region. There are over a thousand inhabitants in Sokaras, Metochi Sokaras and Apoini. The patron saint of the village nowadays is Aghios Antonios (January 17th). But earlier, it used to be Aghios Georgios the Drunk (November 3rd) and a great feast, on a Dionysian scale, was celebrated in his honour, with a great amount of food and drink. Serious efforts are being made to revive this feast. The ruins of the settlement of Velouli lie not far from Sokaras. This small village had 100 inhabitants, as mentioned in the 1583 Register of Chandax, but it has remained uninhabited since 1961. However, the location and the view are very pretty and the Byzantine chapel of the Panaghia Veloulianis is worth seeing. The Acropolis of Vagiotes, built on a rock to the east of the village, with a wonderful panoramic view of the whole county, is of great interest with its stone presses, chambers, steps dug out of the rock, and other remains that lie there waiting for the right moment and the right person to disclose secrets of past glories.
This text is cited Dec 2003 from the Interkriti URL below.
STAVIES (Village) KOFINA
This village is built at a height of 240 m above sea-level, on the south edge of the valley of Messara and is mentioned in the Archives of Chandax in 1370. It is possible that the name Stavies has its origin in the Italian name Stavia, a town destroyed in the eruption of the Vesuvio in 79 AD. After the destruction of their village, refugees could have landed in Crete and built the present village.
This text is cited Dec 2003 from the Interkriti URL below.
STERNES (Village) KOFINA
Sternes is first referred to in a 1271 agreement for the purchase of good wine from the area. Nowadays there are 420 residents in Sternes, engaged in agricultural activities (olive oil, raisins and cattle raising). The village celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary on November 21st. Other traditional Cretan feasts and cultural events -organized with the help of the Cultural Association- are also held during Carnival, on the first of May and in mid-summer.
This text is cited Dec 2003 from the Interkriti URL below.
STOLI (Village) KOFINA
This village is located 5 km to the north-west of the county town of the municipality of Kofina, and counts about 600 inhabitants with the neighbouring Inia. The main activities are the production of olive oil, of raisins and cattle raising. It is possible that the original name of the village was Apostoloi, from the church dedicated to the Holy Apostles situated in the cemetery of the village. The feast day is on March 25th, the Annunciation or Evangelismos.
INATOS (Ancient city) ARKALOCHORI
Inatos. A city of Crete, the same, no doubt, as Einatus (Einatos),
situated on a mountain and river of the same name. The Peutinger Table puts a
place called Inata on a river 24 M. P. E. of Lisia, and 32 M. P. W. of Hierapytna.
These distances agree well with the three or four hamlets known by the name Kasteliana,
derived from the Venetian fortress, Castle Belvedere, situated on a hill a little
to the N. of the villages. The goddess Eileithyia is said to have been worshipped
here, and to have obtained one of her epithets, from it.
This text is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited June 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
PANNONA (Ancient city) AGIA VARVARA
A town in the interior of Crete, S. of Cnossus, retaining the name of Panon.
PYRANTHOS (Ancient city) ASTEROUSSIOI
Puranthos: Eth. Puranthios. A small town in Crete, near Gortyn, probably the modern
Pyrathi.
RIZINIA (Ancient city) AGIA VARVARA
RYTION (Ancient city) ASTEROUSSIOI
Rhution, Eth. Rhutieus. A town of Crete which Homer (Il. ii. 648)
couples with Phaestus as well-peopled cities. The city belonged to the Gortynians
(Strab. x. p. 479; Nonnus, Dionys. xiii. 233.) The corrupt reading Rhuthimne in
Steph. B. (s. v. Stelai) should be emended into Rhution. (Hock, Kreta, vol. i.
p. 414.) The city must have existed somewhere on or close to the route which leads
from Kasteliana to Haghius Dheka; but Pashley (Crete, vol. i. p. 293) could find
no vestiges of antiquity in the neighbourhood.
This text is from: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854) (ed. William Smith, LLD). Cited June 2004 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
STELAI (Ancient city) ARKALOCHORI
Stelai (Steph. B. s. v.). A Cretan city which is described by the Byzantine geographer
as being near two towns, which are called, in the published editions of his work,
Paraesus and Rhithymna. In Mr. Pashley's map the site is fixed at the Mohammedan
village of Philippo on the route from Kasteliana (Inatus) to Haghias Dheka (Gortyna).
ARKALOCHORI (Municipality) HERAKLIO
ANO MOULIA (Village) AGIA VARVARA
RYTION (Ancient city) ASTEROUSSIOI
RIZINIA (Ancient city) AGIA VARVARA
A modern village near the site of an ancient city in central Crete.
The "patela" is a fiat-topped steep-sided acropolis (686 m) just N of
the main watershed and dominating the two main N-S passes across the E foothills
of Ida. Accessible only from the W, it had a mainly unfortified perimeter and
measures ca. 230 x 560 m. The site has generally been identified with Rhizenia/Rhittenia
(see Guarducci), but a plausible case has been made for Apollonia (Faure); either
way it was probably normally subject to Gortyn in Classical and Hellenistic times.
The excavations date to 1906-8 and since 1969.
Apart from a few Neolithic finds the earliest traces of occupation
are of the latest Minoan period (LM III); evidence of early post-Minoan occupation
has recently been increased by discovery at nearby Siderospilia of Proto-Geometric
tholos tombs with inhumations and a Geometric cremation cemetery. Also of these
periods is an important deposit of votive terracottas and vases found near the
E edge of the plateau, including types with antecedents of the end of the Minoan
period (female figures with cylindrical skirt and raised arms, sometimes with
snakes; tall clay tubes with vertical rows of loop handles). A small enclosure
found nearby against the rock formed the sanctuary of this snake-goddess, whose
cult seems to last from Subminoan to late archaic times.
The site's most important remains are of the archaic period. Roughly
in the middle of the plateau are the poorly preserved remains, close together,
of two 7th c. temples. The more northerly (A: 9.7 x ca. 6 m) has a nearly rectangular
elongated cella entered through a single door from a pronaos to the E with a single
central square pier in antis. In the center of the cella is a slab-lined rectangular
sacrificial pit on hearth, on each side of which stood a single (probably wooden)
column on the central longitudinal axis. Many pieces were found of the limestone
frieze (originally situated on the facade or at socle level) carved with horsemen
in relief, and of two (later?) female statues each seated on a chair on the end
of a sculpted architrave, probably from the upper part of the cella door (reconstr.
in Iraklion Mus.): major works of Daedalic art. Temple B to the S was built in
a similar technique but with dissimilar and less regular plan (ca. 18 x ca. 5.5
m); it had an opithodomos in addition, full of storage vessels, and both cella
and pronaos had a central door on the E. Like A the cella had a hearth with an
offering table at its W end, and a libation basin in the NW corner. Like the somewhat
earlier Dreros temple (q.v.), these temples represent an early type deriving from
the Mycenaean meganon with certain Minoan features added; the architectural order
is not yet cleanly defined. The cult seems not to have outlasted the archaic period.
A number of archaic house foundations have been found on the plateau.
At its SW side, W of the temples, is a rectangular Hellenistic (probably 2d c.)
fort, with square towers projecting from the corners, interior dimensions 40 x
36 m and entrance on the cliff edge at the SE corner. Reused in its walls were
blocks bearing early inscriptions and primitive (7th c.) funerary stelai incised
with a hoplite or female figure. Inside and round the fort were found many arrowheads
and other iron weapons, and sling-bullets of lead.
Inscribed sherds (2d c.) attest a cult of Athena. No coins have been
found at the site, which seems to have been gradually depopulated in the Hellenistic
period and has little sign of city life after the 2d c. B.C. If the site was Apollonia,
settlement probably largely moved to its port (of the same name) near modern Gazi,
just W of Iraklion.
D. J. Blackman, ed.
This text is from: The Princeton encyclopedia of classical sites,
Princeton University Press 1976. Cited Nov 2002 from
Perseus Project URL below, which contains 1 image(s), bibliography & interesting hyperlinks.
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