The Greek resort of Hersonissos stretches for several kilometers along the coast of the Mediterranean Gulf of Malia. Germans, Dutch and British prefer to come here for a beach vacation, but a Russian tourist does not neglect one of the most picturesque places on the island of Crete. Hersonissos is called the capital of Cretan beach holidays, and therefore the infrastructure here corresponds to the metropolitan standards: it is expensive, sometimes fashionable, but at the same time the service in hotels and restaurant cuisine is beyond praise. What about sightseeing, you ask, and is there anything to see in Hersonissos? If water parks and nightclubs seem a little to you, you can always go for sightseeing experiences in the vicinity and in neighboring cities. It is just over 20 km from Heraklion, and only a hundred to Rethymno.
TOP 10 attractions of Hersonissos
Knossos palace
The ancient city on the island of Crete, on the outskirts of modern Heraklion, flourished during the Minoan civilization. Knossos was one of the cultural and political centers of the entire Mediterranean, and the Palace of Knossos was a successful example from the known history of mankind, when high engineering achievements were used in the construction.
The palace of King Minos of Knossos had plumbing and ventilation, heating and sewerage systems. Stone-paved roads approached it, and artificial lighting allowed life to boil even at night.
The first palace of Knossos was built in the XX-XVII centuries. BC on the ruins of a Neolithic settlement. Destroyed by an earthquake, it was rebuilt around the 16th-15th centuries. BC. and it is its ruins, badly battered by a volcanic eruption, tsunami and fires, that can now be viewed during an excursion from Chersonese.
Archaeological Museum of Heraklion
The world's finest collection of artifacts dedicated to Minoan art is on display at the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, near Hersonissos.
The history of the museum began in 1883, when it was decided to systematize the archaeological finds. Two decades later, a building was erected, which at that time met all the requirements and the museum received its first guests.
Today, it has 20 rooms open, each of which contains priceless relics found on the island. The most famous exhibits:
- Phaistos disc. It is called the main attraction of the museum. Monument of writing from the era of the Minoan kingdom, it is made of terracotta and dates from the period from XXI to XII centuries. BC NS. The Phaistos disc is the oldest known printed text.
- Neolithic goddess of fertility. The statuette was made at least eight thousand years ago.
- Rhyton in the form of a bull's head. An unknown master made it 1700 years before the onset of a new era.
The museum exhibits many frescoes, the most famous of which is called "Parisienne". The image of a young girl was found in the premises of the Palace of Knossos and dates from around the 16th century. BC NS.
Historical Museum of Crete
If you love history and prefer to get to know it in the silence of the museum halls, visit the exhibition in Heraklion. At the Historical Museum of Crete, just 24 km from Hersonissos, you will see a valuable collection of archaeological curiosities and some significant pieces of medieval painting.
The museum was opened in 1953 by local enthusiasts from the Society for Historical Research of Crete. The collection contains exhibits that can be used to trace all stages of the development of civilization in this Mediterranean region. The earliest rarities are dated X-VIII centuries. BC e., and the most modern reflect the course of the recent history of Crete and Greece.
The exposition is located in a neoclassical mansion built in 1903. In several rooms archaeological finds, the results of ethnographic research and historical documents are systematized in detail.
Among the artistic masterpieces of the greatest value are El Greco's works - "Mount Sinai" and "Modena Triptych".
Lychnostatis Museum
The best way to understand the customs and peculiarities of the inhabitants of Crete will help you with an excursion to the Lychnostatis Museum, located on the outskirts of the resort. Its owners are a Greek family who decided to show tourists their own life, introduce guests to local crafts and everyday life and share culinary secrets. In the open-air museum, you will find a mill and an apiary, see the process of making a canvas on a loom, and learn the secrets of Greek winemaking. You will be taught how to cook traditional Cretan dishes, demonstrate the life of a shepherd by inviting you to his hut, and share a recipe for a real Greek salad.
Arkadi monastery
25 km southeast of Rethymno on the site of the ancient city of Acadia in the 5th century. a monastery was founded, where today all pilgrims arriving in Crete are striving to get. The Arkadi monastery is called a symbol of the struggle for the independence of Greece against the Turkish conquerors.
For the first time, the Turks destroyed the monastery in 1648, but then the monks were allowed to return to its walls. They restored the monastery, but after almost two centuries, the Ottoman invaders again destroyed and plundered Arkadi. In 1866 the monastery was subjected to another persecution, and 15 thousand Turkish soldiers attacked the walls of Arkadi. The feat of the monks who died defending the shrine became a symbol of the struggle for sovereignty.
There is a small museum at the monastery. The monastery is also famous for the fact that St. Athanasius of Constantinople spent his childhood and youth there.
Roman fountain
The legacy of the Romans in Crete can be found everywhere, and in Hersonissos there is also evidence that the island was part of the Roman Empire. One of the surviving architectural objects of that era is the Roman Fountain, which was once part of the villa and a whole complex of water structures. The rest of the structure, unfortunately, was destroyed by time.
The rectangular bowl of the fountain is divided by two diagonal sides along which ancient mosaics in light blue tones have been preserved. The plot corresponds to the position of Chersonissos: on the bowl of the fountain there is a fisherman, surrounded by fishes and mythical sea monsters of incredible size.
Crete Aquarium
On the territory that previously belonged to the NATO military base, today a nice aquarium is organized, where more than six dozen exhibition containers with a variety of representatives of the flora and fauna of the World Ocean are located. The main character here is the Mediterranean Sea, and visitors to the aquarium can see representatives of 250 species that live in the Mediterranean and the surrounding area.
The Aquarium of Crete in Hersonissos received its first visitors in 2005, and since then hundreds of tourists come every day to look at fish, molluscs, marine arthropods and crustaceans.
Kules fortress
There is a medieval fortress on every Mediterranean island, and Crete is no exception. There are several of them here, but the closest to Chersonesos is located in the port of Heraklion.
The Kules fortress was first mentioned in historical documents of the XIV century, and a century later the citadel was rebuilt on the site destroyed by an earthquake. It was erected by the Venetians, who embedded their insignia into the fortress walls - bas-reliefs depicting a lion, which is considered a symbol of the Apostle Mark. The former patron saint of Venice, the saint simultaneously looked after Heraklion, Hersonissos and all of Crete.
During the Ottoman rule, the citadel received an additional upper level with a place for artillery weapons and a small mosque. On the lower floor of the fortress, called by the Turks Kules, there were more than two dozen rooms where weapons, supplies and water were kept and the garrison quartered.
Fortezza
Another medieval citadel near the city of Rethymno was also built by the Venetians. Its foundation was laid in 1540, but the construction was delayed for 30 long years. The citadel did not please the eye for long and served as a guarantor of security. Two years after the construction, Muslim corsairs led by Uluja Ali captured and plundered the fortress, destroying it almost to the ground.
Fortezza was reborn from the ashes at the end of the 16th century. It was built by more than 100 thousand inhabitants of the island. The new citadel had fortress walls more than one and a half meters thick, stretching for almost one and a half kilometers, four bastions at the corners, embrasures for defense with firearms and guns, and watchtowers, giving advantages to the defenders in close combat.
Yet Fortezza was never reliable due to the lack of a moat and buttresses, and its walls were not high enough for a long defense. This made it possible for the Turks to seize Rethymno once again in 1646. The fortress was again altered in accordance with the needs of the new owners.
Today, Fortezza has been restored and given a look that best suits the idea of the Venetians who laid the first stone in its construction in the distant 16th century.
Dikteyskaya cave
To the south of Hersonissos there is a natural landmark, which is visited by thousands of fans of speleology and ancient myths. Legend has it that the goddess Rhea hid from her husband Kronos, who devoured their children, in the Diktic mountains. It was here that Zeus was born, who survived only thanks to the cunning of his mother. Rhea gave the cannibal husband a stone wrapped in a diaper.
In ancient times, there was an altar of worshipers of the Zeus cult in the Dikteyskaya cave. Archaeologists have found in it stone tables for offerings, statuettes dedicated to the head of the ancient Greek Olympus, ceramics of the early Minoan period.
The best way to get to the cave is as part of an organized excursion. The underground premises are equipped with electricity, and you can climb from the bus stop to the entrance on donkeys, which are kindly provided to tourists for a small fee by local residents.
