IraklioHraklio is the capital of the homonym prefecture. It is the biggest of all the other cities of Crete with 85000 thousands inhabitants. Arabians built it in 824 b.c and it was called Xandax. It is surrounded from old Venetian walls which have total length 5km. Their construction has started in 1462 and lasted for more than 100 years.
It is the biggest and the most important fort of Europe. The city and the surroundings show a lot of sightseeing. From Hraklio port is carried on a big export commercial. The most important archeological monuments of Hraklio are Knosos.
To the northeastern side of
Eleuferia square it is located the archeological museum where are a lot of archeological monuments which are discovered to the main archeological places of Crete, Knoso, Faisto, malia, Zarko e.t.c.
The visitor must know that for a normal visit it needs almost 2 hours to stay to the exhibition hall of the museum. There is also the Hraklio historic museum, which has a lot of exhibits from the beginning of Christianism till today.
You have a day or two to spend in Heraklion, the main city and key business centre of Crete. The city is also a major cruise destination. Beyond the crazed progress of moped riders, noisy scooters and a battered, out-of-control look to the city, there is much to do and plenty of things worth seeing. Apart from shopping and the designer clothes on Daedalou Street ("DaydAloo"), browsing the market on 1866 Street or the Saturday market - an almost kilometre long display of fruit and vegetables and sundry items near bus station A at the port, what to do?
This is a brief guide to some of the well known and some less well known enjoyments and rewards of Heraklion:
Cultural Offerings
The enormous Archaeological Museum (converted from an old power station well before the idea of using the old Battersea power station in London as an art gallery) on one corner of the central Eleftherias Square (see simple map), collects together many of the finds from Knossos, Archanes, Phaestos, Zakros and many other archeological sites in Crete. The museum spans a period starting several thousand years ago, through the Minoan, post-Minoan and later periods.
Popular highlights include the Phaestos disc, classic Hellenic and Roman sculptures, frescoes, jewelry, wall-paintings and pottery. A selection of guide books is available at the museum shop - best to buy one to gain some insight into the items that make up this substantial collection.
Its a good idea to start early in the morning or late in the day during the summer months to avoid a rush-hour style of viewing - this is a very popular destination.
Open: every day 8.00 to 17.00 summer, 8.30 to 17.00 winter. Monday opening is from 12.00. December and January closing time is 15.00.
Closed on public Holidays. Tel: 2810-226092
Admission: 4.50 euros, students 2.50 euros.
The Battle of Crete Museum.
Walk down the side of the Archaeological museum on Hatzidaki and at the end, where it meets Bofor is this small but informative gem.
Open: 9.00 to 15.00 every day except Saturday & Sunday. Free entrance. Tel: 2810-346554
The Venetian Loggia on 25th August Street ("Avgoostoo Eekosi Penday"), 50 metres down the street from "Lion Square" (Morosini or Venizelos Square on maps) on the right, is now the city hall of Heraklion. You can walk in a take a quick look.
If you take the left turn instead (off 25th August) you enter Theotokopoulou or El Greco square where the OTE ("Otay") buildings house public telephone and fax facilities. Also if you are in need of a supermarket you will find Halkiadakis on the next side of this square.
The Municipal Gallery and Basilica of St. Mark has an ever-changing variety of exhibitions from early photographs of Crete, to specific works of art - have a look to see if there is a current exhibition. Opposite "Lion Square".
History Museum on Sophocleus Venizelou (easy way to find it is to walk to the bottom of 25th August and at the end, turn left along the seafront - its about half a kilometre along on your left).
Open: 9.00 to 15.00 every day, except Saturday 9.00-14.00, Sunday closed. Tel: 2810-283219.
The Koules Venetian Fortress on the harbour walls, built in the early 1500 s. Both for the impressive stone mass of its fortification and unfathomably solid walls, the pleasure of views from its turret and roof, restored interior and exterior reliefs of the Lion of St. Mark.
Open: 9.00 to 15.00. (We find that in reality their opening times seem rather unpredictable!) Tel: 2810-246211.
Admission: 1.50 euros.
The Natural History Museum of Crete (15-20 minutes from the centre) is on the way to the Palace of Knossos - it is of moderate size, with wonderful displays and good descriptive details about the flora and fauna, the wildlife, of Crete. It is also one of the most engaging and interesting of museums for those children who find even the sound of the word "museum" creates a sense of rebellious boredom. The museum also has a charming cafe in its horticultural garden. Dont miss the impressive slide show at the side of the indoor section of the cafe. You might spend 1-2 hours here.
Can be reached by frequent buses - the bus to Knossos from Bus station A near the harbour passes and will stop at the museum - ask the driver to tell you when you get there. At the bus station look for the KNOSSOS ticket office.
By car or taxi it is a 15-20 minute ride.
Open: 9.00-15.00 Monday to Friday, Saturday closed, Sunday 10.00-18.00
Admission: 3.00 euros adults, 1.50 euros 6-18 year olds & students. Tel: 2810-324711
The Palace of Knossos. 20-25 minutes from the centre of Heraklion. For many this is a must see, and for some a major reason to visit Crete. While you are in or near Heraklion it makes sense to visit this well-restored and sprawling work of Arthur Evans who spent much of his life, and his inherited fortune to make Knossos what is is today. A Minoan palace - this is is the closest you can get to piecing together the threads of the story of the Minoan civilization through the structures the Minoans lived in.
Many publications about Knossos are available both in bookshops in Heraklion and at the gift shop there. Knossos also has guides who will, for a fee, enlighten your visit with details and history and provide a more rewarding visit. There is a cafe just after entering the gate, and several cafes and tavernas to eat in on the Knossos road just outside the gates.
You could spend anywhere from 1 - 3 hours and more here, depending on your interest in archaeology.
To get there by bus go to Bus station A near the harbour. At the bus station look for the KNOSSOS ticket office [see more info about bus stations].
By car or taxi it is a 15-20 minute ride.
Open: every day 8.00 to 17.00 (to 15.00 in the winter) . Tel: 2810-231940.
Admission: 4.50 euros, students free, Sundays (until end of March) free for all!
The recently reconstructed underground Gate through the city walls, accessible from the central section of Eleftherias square.
The church of Agia Ekaterini Sinaites - now a theological museum, is on the edge of the square surrounding the much larger and better known Agios Minas. It has some very fine Byzantine icons. (see Heraklion photo album). Monday-Friday: 10.00-13.00, admission: 1.50 euros.
On the walk down 25th August Street from Dedalou to the sea (before most of the shops are turned over to car rental offices) is the church of Agios Titos, a beautiful building, Byzantine in origin then rebuilt in the 16th century by the Venetians. The building was taken over by the Turks who converted it into a mosque and rebuilt it after the 1856 earthquake. It was renovated and re-consecrated by the Greek Orthodox Church in 1925. Fronted by a spacious square which accommodates a municipally run outdoor restaurant in the summer months.
See a movie at the Vincenzo Kornaros cinema with its wonderfully carved-wood-paneled interiors (theatre 1) on Malikouti Street. Tel: 2810-243921.
Knossos is located 5km southeast of Hraklio and the transition is done with public means of transportation.
It as been discovered from archeological researchers that Crete has been inhabited for the first time in Neolithic period in 6000-5000 b.c.
The people there are occupied with agriculture, they process the stone and the first time they use the potter to create pots.
Dotted in all over the island, they basically live in cages such as Zarko and Agia fotia and eastern Crete in Amniso to the mountains of Lasithio in central Crete and in Gaudo in western Crete. In parallel, the inhabitants start to build settlements where there have been discovered old cities in the deep stratums of Knoso and Faisto and isolated houses in Katsampa of Hraklio and in Makasa of Siteia.
Around in 2600 b.c with the emigration of people from Mikra Asia and perhaps from Libya, in the village starts the famous Minoan civilization, which it is separated in 4 periods based to the first structure, disaster, reconstruction and the final destruction of the royal centers of the island.
The most important palaces have been discovered in the central and eastern Crete (Knosos, Faistos, Malia and Zakros) and to the western Crete the archeological research has started lately to bring the ruins to the light of a valueless center in Xania. Among these,
Minoan palace has the first place in Knoso where the name to the mythic king was given from Evans in Minoan civilization.
The life in it has started in 1900 b.c in the beginning of the old time royal period when an unknown reason in all over the island, for example some royal families have assembled in their hands the authority and they have started to build palaces. Knosos palace has been built in a hill in 22000 s.m. Around it, it was built Knosos city where we can recognize her importance from her two ports.
The one was Katsampas in Kairatos river, which flows to the south and to the east of Knosos hill. The other Amnisos eastern from Hraklio, and as Omiros has reported it was another Knosos port. The two ports presuppose the existence of a big city which by Evans it had 80000 people. Other researchers think that the people were 30000. Knosos king was named Minos analogous with the title of Farao king.
In 1700 b.c Knosos palace was destroyed perhaps from an earthquake.
The palace ruins after its final destruction have cured during time and nothing has been seen from the huge multi-storied group with the 150 rooms until Evans excavation.
After the palace excavation and the uncovering of the Minoan civilization, it appeared the real meaning of Labyrinth. The word comes from Labry the double axe, which is thought the most sanctum symbol of the Minoan religion. Labyrinth was the same palace as House of Labryon important sanctum of religion.
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