the place where myths
are like history and history is like a myth

Crete has a history, and prehistory, stretching back through centuries and millennia – its mythic history is every bit as old. Here, Zeus was born; the father of all gods and men… as seen by the later Greek eyes. Here he made love, secretly, to the beautiful maid Europa, from which we get our modern name for our Continent. Here, defying gravity, a man first flew – the ingenious Daedalus, creator of the famous Labyrinth with his son Icarus.

Crete is the birthplace of the first European civilization, the Minoan, which flourished between 3000 BC and 1200 BC mainly in Central and Eastern Crete. Even today, the majestic palaces of Knossos, Phaestus, Malia, Zakros, Tylissos, Arhanes, Monastiraki, Galatas, Kydonia and the luxurious mansions at Agia Triada, Zominthos, Amnisos, Makrigialos, Vathipetro and Nerokouros reflect the splendor of the Minoan civilization through architectural, pottery, jewelry and painting masterpieces.

Women were equal to men and took part in all religious ceremonies, in sports, hunting, theater, dance, etc. Masterpieces of building architecture, painting, sculpture and goldsmithing continue to inspire even today’s civilization. Even today, the Disc of Phaestus is one of the most famous mysteries of archeology and deciphering symbols remains a riddle.

The “island of a hundred cities”, as recorded by Homer, gradually came to the fore. Knossos became the administrative center again and new impressive cities were developed, such as Hierapytna, Itanos, Axos, Praesus, Sivrytos, Dreros, Rizinia, Tripitos, and many others.

Paul the Apostle stopped in Crete and preached Christianity,lighting the flame of a centuries-old ascetic tradition, signs of which we meet even today in hermitages and monastic establishments of Asterousia range. Areas that, according to tradition, were visited by Saint Paul and Saint John Xenos, turned to live ascetic communities. Among them, Asterousia and Akrotiri Cape at Chania still retain their monastic character.

After the occupation of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade in 1204, Venetians became the new masters of Crete until 1669. Large cities were reconstructed, adorned with imposing monuments and fortified with massive walls.

It was a period when art flourished.

Great iconographers and painters came to the fore, such as Dominicus Theotocopoulos (El Greco) and Michael Damascenus. Moreover, literature, poetry, music and theater experienced an unprecedented bloom and produced masterpieces such as Erotokritos and Erophile.