During the 14th century, the city fell into the hands of the Venetians. The Venetian period lasted four and a half centuries and it was a period of great progress for the city in terms of development in areas such as trade and architecture, literature and art.
The world-famous painter Dominicos Theotokopoulos El Greco was born in Heraklion where he first worked. Following the siege of Heraklion by the Turks which started in and lasted for about 25 years the Venetians were forced to surrender the city to the Turks. Cretans rose in revolt many times against the Ottoman Turks, in , , and In the island of Crete gained its autonomy from the Ottoman Empire and in , it joined Greece.
Everyone who comes to Heraklion arrives knowing the famous museum of Minoan art and culture and the Palace of Knossos. Actually, the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion boasts exhibits from neolithic findings 5, B. There is also a Historical and Ethnographic Museum with exhibits from the post-Roman period of Crete, the Byzantine period, the Venetian and Turkish periods and the Cretan civilization of the 20th century.
At the outskirts of Heraklion 5 km from the centre of the city the reconstructed remains of the famous Knossos Palace are located. For those who love literature, Heraklion is certainly an attraction. It was here where Nikos Kazantzakis, one of the most famous Greek writers of the 20th century, was born, raised and lived for several years.
He is buried at a small fortress hill not far from the centre of the city. A place of interest is the museum dedicated to him at the village of Myrtia 15 km from Heraklion. Despite not yet being deciphered, scholars believe it is the local language of Minoan Crete.
But it must have been an important regional common language of its day, as Linear A has been found inscribed on many of the clay vessels discovered on islands across the Aegean. The other script, called Linear B, evolved from Linear A. Deciphered in the s, Linear B is recognized as the oldest known Greek dialect.
The Minoans also maintained trading relationships with Egypt, Syria, and the Greek mainland. Their trade routes may have extended as far west as Italy and Sicily. Certain locations had especially close ties with Crete and its sailors. The city of Akrotiri on the island of Thera modern-day Santorini is one of the best preserved of these Minoan settlements.
A volcanic eruption around the 16th century B. Its walls boasted stunning murals of brightly colored, stylized images of sparring boxers, climbing monkeys, swimming dolphins, and flying birds. The quality of the paintings uncovered at Akrotiri suggests that artists either from Crete or influenced by its culture had set up workshops in this city.
Other Aegean settlements bearing clear evidence of Minoan influence include the Cycladi islands of Melos and Kea, and islands in the Dodecanese, such as Rhodes. The settlement of Kastri, on the island of Cythera, south of the Peloponnesian peninsula of the Greek mainland, is another example of Cretan cultural power.
Built to exploit the local stocks of murex—a mollusk highly prized for its purple ink used for dyeing cloth—Kastri is purely Minoan in its urban planning. But even this town was not a colony. There is no evidence that these places were politically subject to Crete, as it is not believed that they paid any kind of tribute beyond the money exchanged when trading goods. Minoan civilization declined by the late 15th century B. One theory is that the volcanic eruption on Thera damaged other cities along Minoan trade routes, which hurt Crete economically.
Taking all the evidence available, the volcano did not directly affect life on Crete—about 70 miles to the south. No damage from the eruption has been found there. Four times more powerful than the devastating Krakatoa volcanic eruption of , the volcano on Thera modern-day Santorini exploded around the 16th century B.
It buried cities, killing thousands, and—some say—led to the collapse of Crete. Stories of the Minoan decline are believed to have morphed into the legend of Atlantis as described by the Greek philosopher Plato circa B. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of an invasion in the midth century B. Many sites, including several large palaces in central and southern Crete were burned, and many settlements were abandoned shortly thereafter.
Despite its abrupt ending, the influence of Crete survived. Its vibrant culture made a major impact on the rising new regional power: the Mycenaean Greeks, who lauded King Minos and Crete in their mythology. Linear B, the Cretan writing system adopted by the Mycenaeans, would be the basis for the Greek in which the poet Homer would write his two masterpieces.
All rights reserved. Minoan art featured distinctive depictions of female forms—both divine and mortal. Perhaps the most famous is the Snake Goddess which dates to the 18th to 16th centuries B. Atlantis Origins? Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. During this period Crete experienced a great economic and spiritual wellbeing. The big cities were rebuilt, decorated with amazing monuments and fortified with massive walls. Moreover, the art reached its apogee with great personalities from the field of hagiography, as El Greco Dominikos Theotokopoulos and Michael Damaskinos.
Moreover, literature, music and theater thrived and produced masterpieces, like Erotokritos and Erofili. Successive revolutions and bloody battles led to the autonomy of Crete in In Crete became part of the Greek territory, honoring the longed dream of all Cretans for the Union with Greece. During the Union of Crete, the politician Eleftherios Venizelos came into foreground, who would later become the greatest leader that ever ruled Greece.
The struggles, however, of the Cretans did not end here, as the Cretan glory emerged in the Battle of Crete in and from the ashes of the dozens of villages burnt by the Germans. Thousands of Cretans were executed with their fearless gaze towards the barrel of the German guns, helping to turn the scales in favor of the Allies.
Camping One week? Explore Cretan History. Archaeological Sites. The strategic position of Crete at the crossroads of the ancient Mediterranean civilizations was the main reason for the constant claim of the island by various occupiers. Traces of each occupier are scattered everywhere on the island and are deeply engraved in the customs of the Cretans. Show Map. The island's archaeological importance is highlighted through museums and archaeological collections.
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