Description of the attraction
On the northern coast of Crete, 7 km south of Heraklion, is the Bronze Age settlement of Amnis. The ancient city is mentioned in the earliest ancient Greek literature, as well as in mythology, but the city arose much earlier, even in prehistoric times. It got its name from the Amnis River (later it was called Kairatos), the mouth of which is located nearby.
Ancient Amnis flourished during the Minoan era and was one of the two harbors of the legendary Knossos. Today the sea level is 3 m higher than it was in the Minoan era, and part of the ancient settlement is under water, where you can still see sunken structures.
For the first time, archaeological excavations of ancient Amnis were started in 1932 by one of the leading Greek archaeologists of the 20th century, Spyridon Marinatos. Then the famous "House of Lilies" was discovered - a two-storey building with 10 rooms, decorated with excellent frescoes with floral motifs in the so-called "naturalistic style". The courtyard of the house was paved with stone tiles. One of the well-preserved frescoes depicting red and white lilies (hence the name of the house), as well as mint, iris and papyrus, is today kept in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. The "House of the Lilies" was destroyed by fire in the first Late Minoan era.
During the excavations of Amnis, traces of volcanic ash and pumice were also found - the consequences of the most powerful explosion of the Santorini volcano, which occurred in the middle of the 16th century BC, which is considered the largest in the entire history of the earth.
Today there is a small resort village with an excellent sandy beach. This place is not very popular among tourists, but, nevertheless, it is perfect for lovers of quiet and secluded relaxation.
