History of Crete


Crete history is long, bloody, dramatic and heroic and it has left it’s mark throughout the island.

Situated as it is, at the crossroads of sea communications between Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, Crete has always been a tempting plum, ripe for picking by invaders, colonisers and traders and each over the years have left their mark in one form or another. 
The famous large local and well signposted sites of course attract the crowds, but elsewhere on many a hillside or field, you may stumble across tiny painted churches, fragments of mosaics, two thousand year old houses, a Roman column or a Minion jug handle hidden under a stone.

The Great Minion civilisation rose and fell in Crete between 2,600bc and 1400bc and in this time left palaces at Knosos, Faistos, Malia, Zakros and the hilltop village of Gournia, which are magnets for visitors.
There are hundreds of smaller and less crowded sites throughout the island. For example the “Little Oval House” at Khamezi, which is a domestic and intimate cameo set on a lonely hill.

The Dorians ruled Crete after the Minoens and built small cities such as Polirrinia or Itanos. Mainly these were built either in the hills or by the sea shore and their houses and temple ruins are mostly unvisited.
The Roman city at Gortys has Olive groves which are strewn with marble columns and pottery.
It also has a large basilica built by the Byzantines, the next rulers of Crete.

Byzantine artists also decorated the church of Agios Nikolaos, with geometric frescos, which despite being over 1,000 years old, still display the original bright colours.

From 1204, for 450 years the Venetians held the island and their magnificent solid architecture is still widespread but can best be seen in Chania and Rethymno.
Turks drove out the Venetians in 1669 and stayed until 1898. They built fountains and minarets, also adding their own style of doors, windows and arches to the original Venetian houses.

Many other invasions have taken place during more recent years, most notably when Germany invaded during the second world war and Britain assisted the Cretans to fight them off.

Since these times, many Cretans have left their villages to seek work in the broader outlets of the towns, yet the social and economic lifeblood of the island continues to pulse strongly.