Venturing Heraklion, The Most Modern Prefecture in Crete

Europe / Greece / Southern Europe
19 Aug, 2016
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Heraklion Crete Greece

If you like to travel to a modern city, Heraklion is a city that you must visit when travel to Greece. It is the center of Heraklion Prefecture, one of the four prefectures on the island of Crete. As with most other regions in Greece, Heraklion also been colonized by several different nations. That is why, although a modern city, Heraklion saves a lot of historical relics from various eras. Heraklion Prefecture itself consists of seven provinces with area consisting of many mountains and lush hills.

Historically, the most important city during the period of Minoan and Mycenaean in Heraklion is Knossos, both economically and culturally. Many relic of the Archaic, Classical, by the Hellenic be found in Heraklion. Heraklion modern city that exists today has been standing since the Neolithic Age. At that time, the site became the port of Knossos.

Heraklion Downton Photo From Above. Img Via: panoramio.com

Many Rulers

This region was ruled by the Byzantine and Venetian Nation. When the Venetians from the Italian authorities, in 1462, they marched around the city with a very large wall, along 4 kilometers. That period was a period of prosperity for the city, marked by the construction of many architectural works, as well as the development of literature and art.

In 1669, after a siege of 21 years, the longest in history, the city finally fell into the hands of the Turks. The Turkish nation’s annexation met with resistance from the natives of Crete, with the emergence of militants and revolutionary movements. Faced with this reaction, Turkey acted hard and several times led to mass murder of local residents (in 1828 and 1898). The town fell into a period of darkness and slavery.

In 1913, Heraklion and all parts of Crete joined Greece, the new state was formed, and growing rapidly. Heraklion became the fourth largest city in Greece and became the administrative center, commercial, industrial and agriculture on the island of Crete.

To get to Heraklion, you can take a flight from Athens to the Nikos Kazantzakis Airport in Heraklion. From the airport you can take the bus with departures every 15 minutes, between 06.00 am to 01.00 am, towards the city center.