Archaeological Sites
KNOSSOS
Crete is said to be the cradle of European Culture and Knossos the centre of the Minoan Civilisation. Knossos became a symbol for Crete. It was not just an impressive palace of the sovereign, but the centre for the whole civilisation, formed of buildings, different in their function and shape; the economical, the religious, the social and political centre of a busy metropolis, which was growing. Today the area of the palace of Knossos covers approximately 22.000 m². it is believed that it had an expansion of 1.800m x 1.500m . Knossos is visited yearly by 1,3 million tourists.
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
The archaeological museum in Iraklion is one of the most important of its kind in the world. The museum is famous for the uniqueness and the number of its exhibits, which come from all over the island and mostly from the Minoan periodFESTOS
Festos is the second best ancient place to visit in Crete. In spite of its complicated building history, it is a magnificent place to visit due to the fantastic location with the views to the Messara Plateau, the Libyan Sea and the Ida Mountain Range.MONASTERY OF ARKADI
The monastery of Arkadi is a real Cretan national shrine and it has become a place of pilgrim. Especially in the middle of the19th century the monastery became a centre of the Cretan opposition against the Turks. In November of 1866 the monastery was occupied by the Turks. Instead of capitulation, hundreds of women, children and freedom fighter with a guerilla fighter, Costas Yiamboudakis, set fire to the powder magazine as the Turks entered the western gate, blowing up not only the besieged, but thousands of the Ottoman attackers as well. Therefore the monastery of Arkadi became the symbol of the freedom fight.
THE MONASTERY OF PREVELI
It is one of the most beautiful monasteries of the island, far away from civilisation located on the rocky south coast. Moni Preveli is one of the most wealthy monasteries and it was a basic point for resistance against the Turks.
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