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Sightseeings
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Kales
Built at the edge of the mole, on the side of the
old town (Serakina) it is reputed to have been built
by the Genoese pirate Pescatore in 1212 and since
then it has strongly tied with Ierapetra's history.
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Mosque
A typical old mosque of the early Islamic years, together
with its Muslim fountain "Krini", has been
beautifully preserved by now. Today they have been restored,
and the mosque is used as a music school. |
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Napoleon's residence.
In July 1798, when Napoleon's fleet dropped anchor of
Ierapetra on its way to Egypt, he was offered hospitality
by an Ierapetra family. The remain of the old Cretan
house in the old town, still holds the pride of his
historical visit. |
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The archaeological
collection.
The Ottoman School was built in 1899 after the liberation
for the Turkish children.Today it is used as an archaeological
collection. In the archaeological collection there are
exhibited various objects found in the area and belonging
to various periods. Among the most important are: ritual
pots and other vessels, jars, axes, a clay potter's
wheel, the Episkopi sarcophagus and the statue of the
goddess Persefoni. |
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The folklore museum
of Myrtos.
The museum is located in the village of Myrtos. Minoan
pottery, agricultural tools, domestic vessels, weaving
tools and precious relics of the modern Crete history
are exhibited. |
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The folklore museum
of Vainia.
A small museum of folklore art and a cultural association. |
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The church of Afentis
Christos.
The church of Afentis Christos is regarded as being
the oldest church in the town.
It was built in the 14th century. The church contains
a number of fine icons and a beautifully carved wooden
iconostasis. |
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The church of Panagitsa.
One of the most important churches in the town is that
of the "Panagia" (the Virgin) opposite the
entrance to the fort. It is a small single aisled church,
which holds its main celebration in honor of the "Entrance
of the Virgin into the Temple" on the 21st of November. |
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The church of St. John.
The church of St. John is also in the old town. During
the 17th century it was converted into a mosque by the
Turks. |
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The chapel of Agios
Georgios and Agios Haralampos.
The Byzantine chapel of Agios Georgios and Agios Haralampos,
a monument built in 961 A.C. at the village of Episkopi,
with great historical and cultural significance. |
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Panagia Vriomenou monastery.
The monastery of Panagia Vriomenou in Messeleri village
is dedicated to the birth of Holly Mother, built in
1577 A.D. |
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Exacousti monastery.
Built in the midst of a pine forest, near the village
of Males, it had been totally abandoned until 1960 when
it was restored and opened again.
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Gournia
The town of Gournia was excavated by the American archaeologist
Harriet Boyd-Hawes. It is the best preserved Minoan
settlement from the period of the new palaces. Although
the house-walls were very low, the visitor can get a
feeling for the appearance of a Minoan town. |
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Fournou Korfi
The settlement in Fournou Korfi was occupied from 2500
B.C. until 2170 B.C., when it was destroyed by fire.
The site excavation contributed valuable information
about the first Minoan settlements. |
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Vasiliki.
Vasiliki is another important Early Minoan site. The
site is situated on a small hill at the northern end
of the Ierapetra isthmus near the village of Vasiliki
from which it takes its name. It was a typical Minoan
village which, despite being destroyed by fire on a
number of occasions, remained in use throughout most
of the Minoan period. |
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Simi.
This sanctuary complex is situated on the southern side
of Mount Dikte, 1,200 meters above sea level, just above
the village of Kato Simi, with fantastic views down
to the south coast.
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Selakano forest.
Selakano consists one of the most important forest core
of wild pine in the Mediterranean. Selakano is a region
of various natural interests, traditional agricultural
cultivation, cattle - raising, apiculture.
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Chrissi
island.
One of the 81 uninhabited islands off the coast of Crete
is Chrissi. The island of Chrissi is located 8 miles
south of Ierapetra and is an exotic place for the European
standards. Although human presence in the island dates
back to Minoan times the natural environment of Chrissi
has barely been disturbed during time. The shallow blue-green
sea, the sandy beaches, which in some spots are full
of small sea shells, and the rare cedar forest on the
sand-hills are the most impressive features of the island.
The island is almost flat with colorful volcanic rocks,
covered in sand and aquatic fossils. It is 5Km long
and it has an average height of 10m. The value of Chrissi
natural environment is great and therefore has been
placed in the network of European Union's protected
areas.
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The gorge of Ha.
The gorge of Ha is located 8 km. north of Ierapetra.
Ha is a place where many species of Cretan flora and
fauna exist. A gorge of about 500m long and 400m deep.
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The gorge of Sarakina.
A gorge of rare beauty, with plane trees, pine trees
small waterfalls and rare species of Cretan fauna.
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The gorge of Mesonas.
The gorge of Mesonas in Kavousi village. There are many
species of flora, some of which are endemic to Crete
and found in this gorge.
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The dam of Bramiana.
The dam of Bramiana, (the largest wetland in Crete)
a man-made lake (which today looks like a natural aquatic
environment) that is supplied by the waters from Selakano,
Kalamafka and Malavra. Migratory birds make Bramiana
dam a stopover each spring on their way from Africa
to Europe and on the return trip each autumn. The dam
has an idyllic setting that contains interesting flora
and fauna and it is a very
important protected area.
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Theriospilio cave.
The cave Theriospilio with stalactites and stalagmites
near the village of Kavousi.
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