About Crete
General Information
Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, lies to the southeast of the Greek mainland in the Mediterranean Sea. It is 260 km long with a width that ranges from 12 to 60 km. Crete’s unique geographical position (between Europe, Asia and Africa) has shaped its history from antiquity to modern times. Today the island has a population of over 600,000 people.
The island of Crete has a rugged, mountainous terrain, with numerous gorges and ravines. The most well known is the Samaria Gorge, which is 18 km long and has vertical walls of rock that reach a height of 500 m. Samaria and the many other ravines in Crete have played a crucial role in preserving the rich flora and fauna of the island, because they are far removed from human activity.
Brief History
Crete has a rich and fascinating history. Modern archaeological discoveries reveal that from about 3000 to 1200 BC Crete was the centre of a flourishing Bronze Age civilization. The Cretan cultural achievements of this period, called the Minoan period, revealed those of Egypt and Mesopotamia in the same period. The island had 90 independent cities, the greatest of which was Knossos, capital of the realm of the legendary Cretan king Minos.
In 67 BC the island was conquered by the Romans. In 395 AD it passed to the Byzantine Empire. The island fell to the Arabs in 826 and remained under their rule until 961, when it was re-conquered by the Byzantines. Following the Fourth Crusade (1204), Crete was sold to the Venetians. In 1645 the Ottoman Empire began military operations in Crete against the Venetians, completing conquest of most of the island in 1669 and acquiring complete control in 1715. Cretan revolts against Turkish rule subsequently occurred and in 1913, following a bitter and lengthy struggle, Crete was ceded to Greece.