Crete (/kriːt/KREET;Greek:Κρήτη,Modern:Kríti[ˈkriti],Ancient:Krḗtē[krɛ̌ːtεː]) is the largest and most populous of theGreek islands, the88th largest island in the world and thefifth largest island in theMediterranean Sea, afterSicily,Sardinia,Cyprus, andCorsica. Crete is located about 100 km (62 mi) south of thePeloponnese, and about 300 km (190 mi) southwest ofAnatolia. Crete has an area of 8,450 km2 (3,260 sq mi) and a coastline of 1,046 km (650 mi). It bounds the southern border of theAegean Sea, with theSea of Crete (or North Cretan Sea) to the north and theLibyan Sea (or South Cretan Sea) to the south. Crete covers 260 km from west to east but is narrow from north to south, spanning three longitudes but only half a latitude.
Crete and a number of islands and islets that surround it constitute the Region of Crete (Greek:Περιφέρεια Κρήτης), which is the southernmost of the 13top-level administrative units of Greece, and the fifth most populous of Greece's regions. Its capital and largest city isHeraklion, on the north shore of the island. As of 2021[update], the region had a population of 624,408.[4] TheDodecanese are located to the northeast of Crete, while theCyclades are situated to the north, separated by theSea of Crete. ThePeloponnese is to the region's northwest.
Crete was the center ofEurope's first advanced civilization, theMinoans, from 2700 to 1420 BC. The Minoan civilization was overrun by theMycenaean civilization from mainland Greece. Crete was later ruled by Rome, then successively by theByzantine Empire,Andalusian Arabs, theByzantine Empire again, theVenetian Republic, and theOttoman Empire. In 1898 Crete, whose people had for some time wanted to join the Greek state, achieved independence from the Ottomans, formally becoming theCretan State. Crete became part of Greece in December 1913.
The island is mostly mountainous, and its character is defined by a high mountain range crossing from west to east. It includes Crete's highest point,Mount Ida, and the range of theWhite Mountains (Lefka Ori) with 30 summits above 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) in altitude and theSamaria Gorge, aWorld Biosphere Reserve. Crete forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece, while retaining its own local cultural traits (such as its ownpoetry andmusic). TheNikos Kazantzakis airport at Heraklion and theDaskalogiannis airport atChania serve international travelers. TheMinoan palace atKnossos is also located in Heraklion.[5]
The earliest references to the island of Crete come from texts from theSyrian city ofMari dating from the18th century BC, where the island is referred to asKaptara.[6] This is repeated later inNeo-Assyrian records and theBible (Caphtor). It was known in ancientEgyptian asKeftiu orkftı͗w, strongly suggesting a similarMinoan name for the island.[7]
The current nameCrete is first attested in the 15th century BC inMycenaean Greek texts, written inLinear B, through the wordske-re-te𐀐𐀩𐀳, *Krētes; later Greek:Κρῆτες[krɛː.tes], plural ofΚρής[krɛːs])[8] andke-re-si-jo𐀐𐀩𐀯𐀍, *Krēsijos; later Greek:Κρήσιος[krέːsios],[9] 'Cretian').[10][11] InAncient Greek, the name Crete (Κρήτη) first appears inHomer'sOdyssey.[12] Its etymology is unknown. One proposal derives it from a hypotheticalLuwian word*kursatta (comparekursawar 'island',kursattar 'cutting, sliver').[13] Another proposal suggests that it derives from theancient Greek word"κραταιή" (krataie̅), meaning strong or powerful, the reasoning being that Crete was the strongestthalassocracy during ancient times.[14][15]
InLatin, the name of the island becameCreta. The original Arabic name of Crete wasIqrīṭiš (Arabic:اقريطش <(τῆς) Κρήτης), but after theEmirate of Crete's establishment of its new capital atربض الخندقRabḍ al-Ḫandaq (modernHeraklion;Greek:Ηράκλειο,Irákleio), both the city and the island became known asΧάνδαξ (Chandax) orΧάνδακας (Chandakas), which gave Latin, Italian, and VenetianCandia, from which were derived FrenchCandie and EnglishCandy orCandia. UnderOttoman rule, inOttoman Turkish, Crete was calledGirit (كريد). In the Hebrew Bible, Crete is referred to as (כְּרֵתִים) "kretim".
Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest island in theMediterranean Sea. It is located in the southern part of theAegean Sea separating the Aegean from theLibyan Sea.
The island has an elongated shape: it spans 260 km (160 mi) from east to west, is 60 km (37 mi) at its widest point, and narrows to as little as 12 km (7.5 mi) (close toIerapetra). Crete covers an area of 8,336 km2 (3,219 sq mi), with a coastline of 1,046 km (650 mi); to the north, it broaches theSea of Crete (Greek:Κρητικό Πέλαγος); to the south, theLibyan Sea (Greek:Λιβυκό Πέλαγος); in the west, theMyrtoan Sea, and toward the east the Carpathian Sea. It lies approximately 160 km (99 mi) south of the Greek mainland.
There are a number of peninsulas and gulfs on the north side of Crete, from west to east these include:Gramvousa peninsula, gulf of Kissamos, Rodopos peninsula,gulf of Chania,Akrotiri peninsula,Souda Bay, Apokoronas cape, gulf ofAlmiros, gulf ofHeraklion, Aforesmenos cape, gulf ofMirabello, gulf ofSitia and theSideros peninsula. On the south side of Crete is the gulf ofMessaras andCape Lithinon.
The mountains have been seen as a key feature of the island's distinctiveness, especially since the time of Romantic travellers' writing. Contemporary Cretans distinguish between highlanders and lowlanders; the former often claim to reside in places affording a higher/better climatic and moral environment. In keeping with the legacy of Romantic authors, the mountains are seen as having determined their residents' 'resistance' to past invaders which relates to the oft-encountered idea that highlanders are 'purer' in terms of less intermarriages with occupiers. For residents of mountainous areas, such asSfakia in western Crete, the aridness and rockiness of the mountains is emphasised as an element of pride and is often compared to the alleged soft-soiled mountains of others parts of Greece or the world.[16]
The rivers of Crete include theGeropotamos River, the Koiliaris, the Anapodiaris, the Almiros, the Giofyros, the Keritis, and Megas Potamos. There are only two freshwater lakes in Crete:Lake Kournas andLake Agia, which are both inChania regional unit.[21]Lake Voulismeni at the coast, at Aghios Nikolaos, was formerly a freshwater lake but is now connected to the sea, inLasithi.[22] Three artificial lakes created by dams also exist in Crete: the lake ofAposelemis Dam, the lake of Potamos Dam, and the lake of Mpramiana Dam.
A large number of islands,islets, and rocks hug the coast of Crete. Many are visited by tourists, some are only visited byarchaeologists andbiologists. Some areenvironmentally protected. A small sample of the islands includes:
Gramvousa (Kissamos, Chania) the pirate island opposite the Balo lagoon
Elafonisi (Chania), which commemorates a shipwreck and an Ottoman massacre
Crete straddles two climatic zones, theMediterranean and thesemi-arid climate, mainly falling within the former. As such, the climate in Crete is primarily ahot-summer Mediterranean (Csa) climate while some areas in thesouth and east have ahot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification:BSh). The higher elevations fall into the warm-summerMediterranean climate category (Csb)[23] while the mountain peaks (>2,000 meters) might feature a cold-summerMediterranean climate (Csc) or acontinental climate (Dfb orDfc). The atmosphere can be quite humid, depending on the proximity to the sea, while winter is fairly mild. Snowfall is common on the mountains between November and May, but rare in the low-lying areas.
Flag harbour Chania, Crete, Greece
The south coast, including theMesara Plain andAsterousia Mountains, falls in the North African climatic zone, enjoying significantly more sunny days and high temperatures throughout the year. There,date palms bear fruit, andswallows remain year-round rather than migrate toAfrica. The fertile region aroundIerapetra, on the southeastern corner of the island, has year-round agricultural production, with summer vegetables and fruit produced ingreenhouses throughout the winter.[24] Western Crete (Chania province) receives more rain and the soils there suffer more erosion compared to the Eastern part of Crete.[25]
Crete is the most populous island in Greece with a population of more than 600,000 people. Approximately 42% live in Crete's main cities and towns whilst 45% live in rural areas.[38]
Heraklion is the largest city and capital of Crete, holding more than a fourth of the island's population.Chania was the capital until 1971. The principal cities are:
According to official census data by theHellenic Statistical Authority, the region's population has increased by 1,343 people between 2011 and 2021, experiencing a rise of 0.22%.[43] The island is home to 308,608 men and 315,800 women, accounting for 49.4% and 50.6% of the population respectively.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found onPhabricator and onMediaWiki.org.
The island is divided into four regional units, Heraklion, Rethymno, Chania, and Lasithi.
Cretan regional units by population according toELSTAT
The economy of Crete is predominantly based on services and tourism. However, agriculture also plays an important role and Crete is one of the few Greek islands that can support itself without a tourism industry.[44] The economy began to change visibly during the 1970s as tourism gained in importance. Although an emphasis remains on agriculture and stock breeding, because of the climate and terrain of the island, there has been a drop in manufacturing, and an observable expansion in its service industries (mainly tourism-related). All three sectors of the Cretan economy (agriculture/farming, processing-packaging, services), are directly connected and interdependent. The island has a per capita income much higher than the Greek average, whereas unemployment is at approximately 4%, one-sixth of that of the country overall.[citation needed][when?]
20% of Greek wine is produced in Crete, mostly in the region of Peza.[46]
TheGross domestic product (GDP) of the region was €9.4 billion in 2018, accounting for 5.1% of Greek economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was €17,800 or 59% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 68% of the EU average. Crete is the region in Greece with the fifth highest GDP per capita.[47]
The island has three significant airports,Nikos Kazantzakis at Heraklion, theDaskalogiannis airport at Chania and the smallerSitia airport. The first two serve international routes, acting as the main gateways to the island for travellers. Work has begun plan to replace Heraklion airport with a new airport atKasteli, where there is presently an air force base, and the new Kasteli Airport is due to open by 2027.
Most of Crete is served by the road network. A modern highway is currently being upgraded along the north coast connecting the four major cities (A90 motorway), the sections bypassing the main cities (Heraklion to Malia, Rethymno, Chania to Kolymvari) are at motorway standard, while the sections in between, and west to Kissamos and east to Sitia, should be completed by 2028. A link will also connect to the newKasteli international airport .[48]
In addition, aEuropean Union study has been devised to promote a modern highway to connect the northern and southern parts of the island via atunnel. The study proposal includes a 15.7 km (9.8 mi) section of road between the villages of Agia Varvara and Agia Deka in central Crete. The new road section forms part of the route betweenMessara in the south and Crete's largest cityHeraklion, which houses the island's biggest airport and ferry links with mainlandGreece.
Also, during the 1930s there was a narrow-gauge industrial railway in Heraklion, from Giofyros in the west side of the city to the port. There are now no railway lines on Crete. The government is planning the construction of a line from Chania to Heraklion via Rethymno.[49][50]
The construction sector in Crete responded well during the pandemic and has come out strong in the post-recession recovery period. Total construction spending recovered and is expected to peak a record high (approximately 8% higher than 2019 average levels) signalling consistent expansion in construction projects and real estate investments in Crete.[51] The evolution of the private sector in Crete is tightly linked with the demand for tourism-related investments. Moreover, the recovery of the tourism sector is expected to lead to further growth in housing prices and rental demand.
Newspapers have reported that the Ministry of Mercantile Marine is ready to support the agreement between Greece,South Korea,Dubai Ports World andChina for the construction of a large internationalcontainer port andfree trade zone in southern Crete nearTympaki; the plan is to expropriate 850 ha (2,100 acres) of land. The port would handle two million containers per year, but the project has not been universally welcomed because of its environmental, economic and cultural impact.[52] As of January 2013, the project has still not been confirmed, although there is mounting pressure to approve it, arising from Greece's difficult economic situation.
There are plans for underwater cables going from mainland Greece to Israel and Egypt passing by Crete and Cyprus:EuroAfrica Interconnector andEuroAsia Interconnector.[53][54] They would connect Crete electrically with mainland Greece, ending energy isolation of Crete. At present Greece covers electricity cost differences for Crete of around €300 million per year.[55]
In the later Neolithic and Bronze Age periods, under the Minoans, Crete had a highly developed, literate civilization. It has been ruled by various ancient Greek entities, theRoman Empire, theByzantine Empire, theEmirate of Crete, theRepublic of Venice and theOttoman Empire. After a brief period of independence (1897–1913) under a provisional Cretan government, it joined the Kingdom of Greece. It was occupied byNazi Germany during theSecond World War.
Stone tools suggest thatarchaic humans may have visited Crete as early as 130,000 years ago, but there is no evidence of permanent settlement of the island until theNeolithic, around 7,000 BCE.[56] Settlements dating to theaceramic Neolithic in the 7th millennium BC, usedcattle,sheep,goats,pigs anddogs as well as domesticatedcereals andlegumes; ancientKnossos was the site of one of these major Neolithic (then later Minoan) sites.[57] Other neolithic settlements include those atKephala,Magasa, andTrapeza.
During theBronze Age, Crete was the centre of theMinoan civilization, notable for itsart, its writing systems such asLinear A, and for its massive building complexes including the palace atKnossos. Its economy benefited from a network of trade around much of theMediterranean, and Minoan cultural influence extended toCyprus,Canaan, andEgypt. Some scholars have speculated thatlegends such as that of theminotaur have a historical basis in Minoan times.
In 1420 BC, the Minoan civilization was subsumed by theMycenaean civilization from mainland Greece. The oldest samples of writing in the Greek language, as identified byMichael Ventris, is the Linear B archive from Knossos, dated approximately to 1425–1375 BC.[58]
After theBronze Age collapse, Crete was settled by new waves of Greeks from the mainland. A number of city states developed in theArchaic period. There was limited contact with mainland Greece, andGreek historiography shows little interest in Crete, as a result, there are few literary sources.
During the 6th to 4th centuries BC, Crete was comparatively free from warfare. TheGortyn code (5th century BC) is evidence for how codifiedcivil law established a balance between aristocratic power and civil rights.
In the late 4th century BC, the aristocratic order began to collapse due to endemic infighting among the elite, and Crete's economy was weakened by prolonged wars between city states. During the 3rd century BC,Gortyn, Kydonia (Chania),Lyttos andPolyrrhenia challenged the primacy of ancient Knossos.
Crete was involved in theMithridatic Wars, initially repelling an attack by Roman generalMarcus Antonius Creticus in 71 BC. Nevertheless, a ferocious three-year campaign soon followed underQuintus Caecilius Metellus, equipped with three legions. Crete was conquered by Rome in 69 BC, earning for Metellus the title "Creticus".Gortyn was made capital of the island, and Crete became a Roman province, along withCyrenaica that was calledCreta et Cyrenaica. Archaeological remains suggest that Crete under Roman rule witnessed prosperity and increased connectivity with other parts of the Empire.[59] In the 2nd century AD, at least three cities in Crete (Lyttos, Gortyn, Hierapytna) joined thePanhellenion, a league of Greek cities founded by the emperorHadrian. WhenDiocletian redivided the Empire, Crete was placed, along with Cyrene, under thediocese of Moesia, and later byConstantine I to thediocese of Macedonia.
In the 820s, after 900 years as a Roman island, Crete was captured by AndalusianMuwallads led byAbu Hafs,[61] who established theEmirate of Crete. The Byzantines launched a campaign that took most of the island back in 842 and 843 underTheoktistos. Further Byzantine campaigns in 911 and 949 failed. In 960–61,Nikephoros Phokas'campaign restored Crete to the Byzantine Empire, after a century and a half of Arab control.
In 961,Nikephoros Phokas returned the island to Byzantine rule after expelling the Arabs.[62] Extensive efforts at conversion of the populace were undertaken, led byJohn Xenos andNikon "the Metanoeite".[63][64] The reconquest of Crete was a major achievement for the Byzantines, as it restored Byzantine control over the Aegean littoral and diminished the threat ofSaracen pirates, for which Crete had provided a base of operations.
In 1204, theFourth Crusade seized and sacked the imperial capital ofConstantinople. Crete was initially granted to leading CrusaderBoniface of Montferrat[62] in the partition of spoils that followed. However, Boniface sold his claim to theRepublic of Venice,[62] whose forces made up the majority of the Crusade. Venice's rival theRepublic of Genoa immediately seized the island and it was not until 1212 that Venice secured Crete as a colony.
In 1492, Jews expelled from Spain settled on the island.[69] In 1574–77, Crete was under the rule ofGiacomo Foscarini as Proveditor General, Sindace andInquisitor. According to Starr's 1942 article, the rule of Giacomo Foscarini was a Dark Age for Jews and Greeks. Under his rule, non-Catholics had to pay high taxes with no allowances. In 1627, there were 800 Jews in the city of Candia, about seven percent of the city's population.[70]Marco Foscarini was the Doge of Venice during this time.
TheSiege of Candia, regarded as one of the longest sieges in history, lasted from 1648 to 1669.Nicolas Sanson. Crete in 1651Ethnic makeup of the island in 1861
Islamic presence on the island, aside from the interlude of theArab occupation, was cemented by theOttoman conquest. MostCretan Muslims were local Greek converts who spoke CretanGreek, but in the island's 19th-century political context they came to be viewed by the Christian population as Turks.[72][pages needed] Contemporary estimates vary, but in 1830, as much as 45% of the population of the island may have been Muslim.[73] A number ofSufi orders were widespread throughout the island, theBektashi order being the most prevalent,[74] possessing at least fivetekkes.[citation needed] Many Cretan Muslims fled Crete because of sectarian violence, settling in Turkey, Rhodes, Syria, Libya and elsewhere.[75] By 1900, 11% of the population was Muslim. Those remaining were relocated in the 1924population exchange between Greece and Turkey.[72][pages needed]
Heraklion was surrounded by high walls and bastions and extended westward and southward by the 17th century. The most opulent area of the city was the northeastern quadrant where the elite were gathered. The city had received another name under the rule of the Ottomans, "the deserted city". The urban policy that the Ottoman applied to Candia was a two-pronged approach.[68] The first was the religious endowments. It made the Ottoman elite contribute to building and rehabilitating the ruined city. The other method was to boost the population and the urban revenue by selling off urban properties. According to Molly Greene (2001) there were numerous records ofreal-estate transactions during theOttoman rule. In the deserted city, minorities received equal rights in purchasing property. Christians and Jews were also able to buy and sell in the real-estate market.
TheCretan Revolt of 1866–1869 or Great Cretan Revolution (Greek:Κρητική Επανάσταση του 1866) was a three-year uprising against Ottoman rule, the third and largest in a series of revolts between the end of the Greek War of Independence in 1830 and the establishment of the independent Cretan State in 1898. A particular event which caused strong reactions among the liberal circles of western Europe was theHolocaust of Arkadi. The event occurred in November 1866, as a large Ottoman force besieged theArkadi Monastery, which served as the headquarters of the rebellion. In addition to its 259 defenders, over 700 women and children had taken refuge in the monastery. After a few days of hard fighting, the Ottomans broke into the monastery. At that point, the abbot of the monastery set fire to the gunpowder stored in the monastery's vaults, causing the death of most of the rebels and the women and children sheltered there.[citation needed]
Following the repeated uprisings in 1841, 1858, 1889, 1895 and 1897 by the Cretan people, who wanted to join Greece, theGreat Powers decided to restore order and in February 1897 sent in troops. The island was subsequently garrisoned by troops from Great Britain, France, Italy and Russia; Germany and Austro-Hungary withdrawing from the occupation in early 1898. During this period Crete was governed through a committee of admirals from the remaining four Powers. In March 1898 the Powers decreed, with the reluctant consent of the Sultan, that the island would be granted autonomy under Ottomansuzerainty in the near future.[80]
In September 1898 theCandia massacre in Candia, modern Heraklion, left over 500 Cretan Christians and 14 British servicemen dead at the hands of Muslim irregulars. As a result, the Admirals ordered the expulsion of all Ottoman troops and administrators from the island, a move that was ultimately completed by early November. The decision to grant autonomy to the island was enforced and a High Commissioner,Prince George of Greece, appointed, arriving to take up his post in December 1898.[81] The flag of theCretan State was chosen by the Powers, with the white star representing the Ottoman suzerainty over the island.
Flag of Cretan State
In 1905, disagreements between Prince George and minister Eleftherios Venizelos over the question of theenosis (union with Greece), such as the Prince's autocratic style of government, resulted in theTheriso revolt, one of the leaders beingEleftherios Venizelos.
Prince George resigned as High Commissioner and was replaced byAlexandros Zaimis, a former Greek prime minister, in 1906. In 1908, taking advantage of domestic turmoil in Turkey as well as the timing of Zaimis's vacation away from the island, the Cretan deputies unilaterally declared union with Greece.
With the outbreak of theFirst Balkan War, the Greek government declared that Crete was now Greek territory. This was not recognised internationally until 1 December 1913.[81]
During World War II, the island was the scene of theBattle of Crete in May 1941. The initial 11-day battle was bloody and left more than 11,000 soldiers and civilians killed or wounded. As a result of the fierce resistance from both Allied forces and civilian Cretan locals, the invasion force suffered heavy casualties, andAdolf Hitler forbade further large-scaleparatroop operations for the rest of the war.
During the initial and subsequent occupation, German firing squads routinely executed male civilians in reprisal for the death of German soldiers; civilians were rounded up randomly in local villages for the mass killings, such as at theMassacre of Kondomari and theViannos massacres. Two German generals were later tried and executed for their roles in the killing of 3,000 of the island's inhabitants.[82]
Following the collapse of fronts elsewhere in Europe, German forces evacuated most of Crete in October 1944 leaving an area including Chania under occupation. The following year the day afterVE Day the remaining Germans under GeneralmajorHans-Georg Benthack surrendered atKnossos to British Major-GeneralColin Callander.[83]
In the aftermath of theDekemvriana in Athens, Cretan leftists were targeted by the right-wing paramilitary organization National Organization of Rethymno (EOR), which engaged in attacks in the villages of Koxare and Melampes, as well as Rethymno in January 1945. Those attacks did not escalate into a full-scale insurgency as they did in the Greek mainland and the CretanELAS did not surrender its weapons after theTreaty of Varkiza. An uneasy truce was maintained until 1947, with a series of arrests of notable communists in Chania and Heraklion. Encouraged by orders from the central organization in Athens, KKE launched an insurgency in Crete; marking the beginning of theGreek Civil War on the island. In eastern Crete theDemocratic Army of Greece (DSE) struggled to establish its presence inDikti andPsilorites. On 1 July 1947, the surviving 55 fighters of DSE were ambushed south of Psilorites, the few surviving members of the unit managed to join the rest of DSE inLefka Ori.[84]
TheLefka Ori region in the west offered more favourable conditions for DSE's insurgency. In the summer of 1947 DSE raided and looted theMaleme Airport and motor depot at Chrysopigi. Its numbers swelled to approximately 300 fighters. The rise of DSE numbers compounded with crop failure on the island created serious logistical issues for the insurgents. The communists resorted tocattle rustling and crop confiscations which solved the problem only temporarily. In the autumn of 1947, the Greek government offered generous amnesty terms to Cretan DSE fighters and mountain bandits, many of whom opted to abandon armed struggle or defect to the nationalists. On 4 July 1948, government troops launched a large scale offensive onSamariá Gorge. Many DSE soldiers were killed in the fighting while the survivors broke into small armed bands. In October 1948, the secretary of the Cretan KKE Giorgos Tsitilos was killed in an ambush. By the following month only 34 DSE fighters remained active in Lefka Ori. The insurgency in Crete gradually withered away, with the last two hold outs surrendering in 1974, 25 years after the conclusion of the war in mainland Greece.[85]
Crete is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Greece. 15% of all arrivals in Greece come through the city of Heraklion (port and airport), while charter journeys to Heraklion make up about20% of all charter flights in GreeceArchived 29 July 2020 at theWayback Machine. The number of hotel beds on the island increased by 53% in the period between 1986 and 1991.
Today, the island's tourism infrastructure includes a wide range of accommodation; including large luxury hotels with their complete facilities, swimming pools, sports and recreation, smaller family-owned apartments, camping facilities and others. Visitors reach the island via two international airports in Heraklion andChania and a smaller airport inSitia (international charter and domestic flights started in May 2012)[86] or by boat to the main ports of Heraklion, Chania,Rethimno,Agios Nikolaos andSitia.
Popular tourist attractions include the archaeological sites of the Minoan civilisation, the Venetian old city and port ofChania, the Venetian castle atRethymno, the gorge ofSamaria, the islands ofChrysi,Elafonisi,Gramvousa,Spinalonga and the Palm Beach ofVai, which is the largest natural palm forest in Europe.
Crete has an extensive bus system with regular services across the north of the island and from north to south. There are two regional bus stations in Heraklion. Bus routes and timetables can be found on KTEL website.[87]
Crete's mild climate attractsnorthern Europeans who want a holiday home or residence on the island.EU citizens have the right to freely buy property and reside with little formality.[88] In the cities of Heraklion and Chania, the average price per square metre of apartments ranges from €1,670 to €1,700.[89] A growing number of real estate companies cater mainly to British immigrants, followed byDutch,German,Scandinavian and other European nationalities wishing to own a home in Crete. TheBritish immigrants are concentrated in the western regional units ofChania andRethymno and to a lesser extent inHeraklion andLasithi.[49]
The area has a large number of archaeological sites, including the Minoan sites ofKnossos,Malia (not to be confused with the town of the same name), Zakros,Petras andPhaistos, the classical site ofGortys, and the diverse archaeology of the island ofKoufonisi, which includes Minoan, Roman, and World War II era ruins (nb. due to conservation concerns, access to Koufonisi has been restricted for the last few years).
Helen Briassoulis, in a qualitative analysis, proposed in theJournal of Sustainable Tourism that Crete is affected by tourism applying pressure to it to develop at an unhealthy rate, and that informal, internal systems within the country are forced to adapt. According to her, these forces have strengthened in three stages: from the period from 1960 to 1970, 1970–1990, and 1990 to the present. During this first period, tourism was a largely positive force, pushing modern developments like running water and electricity onto the largely rural countryside. However, beginning in the second period and especially in the third period leading up to the present day, tourist companies became more pushy with deforestation and pollution of Crete's natural resources. The country is then pulled into an interesting parity, where these companies only upkeep those natural resources that are directly essential to their industry.[92]
Crete is isolated from mainland Europe, Asia, and Africa, and this is reflected in the diversity of the fauna and flora. As a result, the fauna and flora of Crete have many clues to the evolution of species. There are no animals that are dangerous to humans on the island of Crete in contrast to other parts of Greece. Indeed, the ancient Greeks attributed the lack of large mammals such as bears, wolves, jackals, and venomous snakes, to the labour ofHercules (who took a live Cretan bull to thePeloponnese). Hercules wanted to honor the birthplace of Zeus by removing all "harmful" and "venomous" animals from Crete. Later, Cretans believed that the island was cleared of dangerous creatures by theApostle Paul, who lived on the island of Crete for two years, with his exorcisms and blessings.
TheCretan shrew, a type ofwhite-toothed shrew is consideredendemic to the island of Crete because this species of shrew is unknown elsewhere. It is arelic species of theCrocidura shrews of whichfossils have been found that can be dated to thePleistocene era. Today it can only be found in the highlands of Crete.[102] It is considered to be the only surviving remnant of the endemic species of the Pleistocene Mediterranean islands.[103]
There are four species of snake on the island and these are not dangerous to humans. The four species include theleopard snake (locally known asochendra), theBalkan whip snake (locally calleddendrogallia), thedice snake (callednerofido in Greek), and the only venomous snake is the nocturnalcat snake which has evolved to deliver a weak venom at the back of its mouth to paralyse geckos and small lizards, and is not dangerous to humans.[104][109]
Sea turtles include thegreen turtle and theloggerhead turtle which are both threatened species.[108] The loggerhead turtle nests and hatches on north-coast beaches around Rethymno and Chania, and south-coast beaches along the gulf of Mesara.[110]
Cicadas, known locally astzitzikia, make a distinctive repetitivetzi tzisound that becomes louder and more frequent on hot summer days. Butterfly species include theswallowtail butterfly.[104] Moth species include thehummingbird moth.[112] There are several species of scorpion such asEuscorpius carpathicus whose venom is generally no more potent than a mosquito bite.
River crabs include the semi-terrestrialPotamon potamios crab.[104] Edible snails are widespread and can cluster in the hundreds waiting for rainfall to reinvigorate them.
Apart from terrestrial mammals, the seas around Crete are rich in large marine mammals. The endangeredMediterranean monk seal lives in almost all the coasts of the country. The area south of Crete, known as the Greek Abyss, hostswhales,sperm whales,dolphins andporpoises.[113] The Minoan frescoes depicting dolphins in Queen's Megaron at Knossos indicate that Minoans were well aware of and celebrated these creatures.Squid,octopus,sea turtles andhammerhead sharks live or traverse along the coast.
The Minoans contributed to the deforestation of Crete. Further deforestation occurred in the 1600s "so that no more local supplies of firewood were available".[117]
Environmentally protected areas include the island ofElafonisi on the coast of southwestern Crete, the palm forest ofVai in eastern Crete and theDionysades (both in the municipality ofSitia,Lasithi).Vai has a palm beach and is the largest natural palm forest in Europe. The island ofChrysi, 15 kilometres (9 miles) south ofIerapetra, has the largest naturally-grownJuniperus macrocarpa forest in Europe.Samaria Gorge is aWorld Biosphere Reserve andRichtis Gorge is protected for its landscape diversity. Also, Sitia UNESCO Global Geopark, added in 2015 in UNESCO Geoparks, is located on the easternmost edge of Crete.
According toGreek mythology, theDiktaean Cave at MountDikti was the birthplace of the godZeus. ThePaximadia islands were the birthplace of the goddessArtemis and the godApollo[citation needed]. Their mother, the goddessLeto, was worshipped atPhaistos. The goddessAthena bathed in Lake Voulismeni. Zeus launched a lightning bolt at a giant lizard that was threatening Crete. The lizard immediately turned to stone and became the lizard-shaped island ofDia, which can be seen from Knossos. The islets ofLefkai were the result of a musical contest between theSirens and theMuses. The Muses were so anguished to have lost that they plucked the feathers from the wings of their rivals; the Sirens turned white and fell into the sea atAptera ("featherless"), where they formed the islands in the bay that were called Lefkai (the islands ofSouda andLeon).[121]Heracles, in one of his labors, took theCretan bull to the Peloponnese.Europa and Zeus made love atGortys and conceived the kings of Crete:Rhadamanthys,Sarpedon, and Minos.
Crete has its own distinctiveMantinades poetry. The island is known for its Mantinades-basedmusic (typically performed with theCretan lyra and thelaouto) and has many indigenous dances, the most noted of which is thePentozali. Since the 1980s and certainly in the 1990s onwards there has been a proliferation of cultural associations that teach dancing (in Western Crete where many focus onrizitiko singing). These associations often perform in official events but also become stages for people to meet and engage in traditional practices. The topic of tradition and the role of cultural associations in reviving it is often debated throughout Crete.[122]
Cretan authors have made important contributions toGreek literature throughout the modern period; major names includeVikentios Kornaros, creator of the 17th-century epic romanceErotokritos (Greek Ερωτόκριτος), and, in the 20th century,Nikos Kazantzakis. In the Renaissance, Crete was the home of theCretan School of icon painting, which influencedEl Greco and through him subsequent European painting.[123]
Cretans are proud of their island and customs, and men often don elements of traditional dress in everyday life: knee-high black riding boots (stivania),vráka breeches tucked into the boots at the knee, black shirt and black headdress consisting of a fishnet-weave kerchief worn wrapped around the head or draped on the shoulders (mantili /kefalomantilo). Men often grow large mustaches as a mark of pride, manhood and valiance.
Cretan society is known in Greece and internationally for family and clanvendettas which persist on the island to date.[124][125] Cretans also have a tradition of keeping firearms at home, stemming from the era of resistance against theOttoman Empire. Nearly every rural household on Crete has at least one unregistered gun.[124] Guns are subject to strict regulation from the Greek government, and in recent years an effort to control firearms in Crete has been undertaken by the Greek police, but with limited success.
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^Reinhart Dozy,Histoire des Musulmans d'Espagne: jusqu'à la conquête de l'Andalousie par les Almoravides (French) pg. 711–1110, Leiden, 1861 & 1881, 2nd edition
^Tiepolo, Maria Francesca; Tonetti, Eurigio (2002).I greci a Venezia. Istituto veneto di scienze. p. 201.ISBN978-88-88143-07-1.Cretese Nikolaos Kalliakis
^Boehm, Eric H. (1995).Historical abstracts: Modern history abstracts, 1450–1914, Volume 46, Issues 3–4. American Bibliographical Center of ABC-Clio. p. 755.OCLC701679973.Between the 15th and 19th centuries the University of Padua attracted a great number of Greek students who wanted to study medicine. They came not only from Venetian dominions (where the percentage reaches 97% of the students of Italian universities) but also from Turkish-occupied territories of Greece. Several professors of the School of Medicine and Philosophy were Greeks, including Giovanni Cottunio, Niccolò Calliachi, Giorgio Calafatti...
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^abM. Greene. 2001. Ruling an island without a navy: A comparative view of Venetian and Ottoman Crete.Oriente moderno, 20(81), 193–207
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^Capra, Carlo; Peruta, Franco Della; Mazzocca, Fernando (2002).Napoleone e la repubblica italiana: 1802–1805 [Napoleon and the Italian Republic: 1802–1805] (in Italian). Milan: Skira. p. 200.ISBN978-88-8491-415-6.Simone Stratico, nato a Zara nel 1733 da famiglia originaria di Creta (abbandonata a seguito della conquista turca del 1669)
^abTziovas, Dimitris (2003).Greece and the Balkans: Identities, Perceptions and Cultural Encounters Since the Enlightenment. London: Routledge.ISBN978-0-7546-0998-8.
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^Pinar Senisik,The Transformation of Ottoman Crete, Revolts, Politics and Identity in the Late Nineteenth century p. 165. I. B. Tauris, 2011.
^abRobert Holland and Diane Markides,The British and the Hellenes: Struggles for Mastery in the Eastern Mediterranean 1850–1960. p. 81. Oxford University Press, 2005.
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