The Cathedral of St. Minas:The small church of St. Minas did not meet the religious needs of the constantly growing Christian community, so the demand arose for the erection of a new cathedral. The plot for the new church used to be a garden that belonged to a Turk from whom it was bought. The architect was Athanasios Moussis and in 1862 the foundation stone of one of the most magnificent and impressive Greek churches was laid. The outbreak of the Cretan revolution of 1866 demanded the stopping of the building work which will continue in 1883 in order to be completed in 1895, when the inauguration of the exquisite temple took place. The church is of the cruciform type with a dome based on a high spandrel, while internally there are also elements of a three aisle basilica. It has two bell towers, one in the northeastern corner and the other in the southeastern one. The right aisle is dedicated to Apostle Titos and the left one to St. Ten Martyrs of Crete. The inside of the church has gone through many changes with new additions. With plans of the architect Anastasios Orlandos the woodcut icon screen was replaced by another one made of marble, the same happened with the bishop's seat. The religious painting of the church was assigned to St. Kartakis who followed faithfully the principles and the models of the Byzantine icon painting. The hundredth anniversary from the inauguration of the Cathedral Church of St. Minas (1995) was celebrated with every solemnity that is suited in an equal occasion and more specifically to one of the most glorious and imposing Greek churches.

It is situated approximately in the middle of the seaside wall. It was built from the first years of the venetian domination and belonged to the monastic order of Dominicans (Domenicani Predicatori). It was one of the most important and biggest Catholic monasteries of the city. The earthquake of 1508 caused a lot of damages to the temple. It consists of a long aisle which is roofed by a two slope roof and ends at a sanctuary roofed by two vaults. To the north and south wall of the temple there are windows of different types that were opened either during the Turkish period, or even earlier.

The history and culture of Crete, from the first centuries of the Christian era to our present time. An exceptional museum featuring a collection of extremely precious objects, a must see for every visitor to Crete. The museum is housed in a two storey neoclassical building, which was constructed in 1903 on the site of an earlier mansion.

It was built in the end of the 17th century. Today it is found behind the Historical Museum of the city. It is decorated with two columns with floral capitals, while in between them and inside an arched construction there is a marble plaque with relief decoration. The water was running from a specially made hole at the bottom of the plaque, into a marble basin.

The «General Provisioner» Antonio Priuli made it in 1666 and it is situated today behind the "Bodosakeio" Primary School (in the area of the Venetian Dermata Gate). He decorated it with round and square columns with Corinthian type capitals, while a triangular pediment crowns the whole construction. From both sides of the columns there are niches with their metopes elaborately decorated. In the middle of the fountain there is a Turkish inscription where there is a reference to the name of the Turkish pasha who managed to bring water again in the fountain.

The fortified enclosure of the Venetian Chandakas of the 15th century, which is still preserved today, is one of the most significant monuments of its kind in the whole Mediterranean basin.
Triangular in shape, with its base at the sea, the mighty enceinte has a perimeter of about 5.5 kilometres. The hallmark of the defensive layout are the bastions, linked by curtain walls decorated at many points by escutcheons and the lion of St. Mark, symbol of Venetian omnipotence. The gates in the enceinte, which served to link the town to the countryside, still stand as important architectural monuments.
To this day, the walls that withstood the Ottoman siege in the mid-17th century mark out the boundary of the old town.

The Natural History Museum of Crete is housed in the renovated former premises of the Heraklion Public Power Corporation, on Dermatas’ Bay. With an area of 3,500 m2, it is the largest exhibition of its kind in the Mediterranean, showcasing the natural environment of Crete and the wider Mediterranean area in an innovative, original way.

Author and journalist(1862-1920). He was born in the village Ano Viannos in 1862. In his childhood he moved with his family in Piraeus. Quite soon though, only 3 years later, they got back at their special homeland and there, he finished the elementary school. Though he'd started attending high school in Iraklion, he finished it in Varvakeio School, in Athens.
His first novel was published in the newspaper 'Estia', in 1884. He was enrolled in the Philosophy School, but he never graduated.
In 1885 he got back in Crete, where he took a job as a teacher in Modi, Kydonias. His revolutionary character motivated him into writing patriotic articles in the local paper, an act that infuriated the Turkish occupants to such an extent that he had to flee in Athens, only this time he stayed permanently.
In Athens he worked for several newspapers like 'Estia', 'Asty' and 'Embros'. For more than 20 years he kept writing chronicles, which helped him win respect among the intellectuals. He used to use the pseudonym 'Diavatis' (Passer-by).
During his long literary career he wrote: 'Gramvoussa, i epanastasis en Kriti' (Gramvoussa, the revolution in Crete), 'I olokaftossis tou Arkadiou' (The Holocaust of Arkadi), 'Otan imoun daskalos' (When I was a teacher), 'Proti Agapi' (First Love), 'Eno diavaina' (When I was passing by), 'O Patouchas', 'Zampeliou Kai Kritovoulidou, Istoria Kritikon Epanastaseon' (Zampeliou and Kritovoulidou, Cretan Revolutions History), 'Imere kindynon kai fovou' (Days in danger and terror). Kondylakis’ entire work is collected in his 'Apanta' (Collected works).Ioannis Kondylakis died in Irakleion, in 1920.

Historical place with outstanding natural beauty, unspoiled villages and great beaches. The town of Ano Viannos is built amphitheatrically on the southern slopes of Dikti mountain at 560 m. above sea in a distance of 65km from Iraklion and 40km from Ierapetra. It preserves the traditional character with the narrow paved streets, the stone built houses - especially the "Plaka' quarter - the old kefeneios with tables under the plane trees and old churches such as Agios Georgios and Agia Pelagia with wall paintings dating back to the 14th century. There are a few accommodation facilities, banks, medical center, taverns, gas stations, shops etc. Ano Viannos is the seat of the municipality of Viannos.

The area is touristic developed with many shops, restaurants on the shore, bars and several excellent hotels famous for their comforts and the variety of amenities offered. The lagoon of Elounda is shaped between the coast and a small peninsula of 7-8 km length ... Spinalonga, since antiquity, has protected the harbor of ancient Olous.

Established in 1927, AGRUNION is one of the largest agricultural cooperative unions of Greece, with 167 members of 1st degree and over 47.000 members (farmers). Its range of products include olive oil, wines, vinegar and table grapes, sold into the Greek and foreign markets. They are produced in new-built factories equipped with foremost technological equipment, totally owned by AGRUNION.

At a mountainous, precipitous site, in the west mountain slopes of Dikti, at an altitude of 550 m above sea level and at 2 km from the village of Malles, is built the village Christos (GR: Χριστός – Christ). Christos is a beautiful, verdurous village, with many running waters, traditional, unchanged by time, with narrow sloping cobbled alleys.

The island of Spinalonga (Gr: Σπιναλόγκα), officially known as Kalydon (Καλυδών), is located in the Gulf of Elounda in north-eastern Crete, in Lasithi prefecture, next to the town of Elounda. The official Greek name of the island today is Kalydon. Originally, Spinalonga was not an island, it was part of the island of Crete. During Venetian occupation the island was carved out of the coast for defense purposes and a fort was built there. A popular name for the island since Venetian rule is Spinalonga. During Venetian rule, salt was harvested from salt pans around the island. The island has also been used as a leper colony. Spinalonga has appeared in novels, television series, and a short film.

One of the largest villages of Crete, in the north of the valley of the river Sarantapichos. It is 28 km away from Ierapetra and 40 km away from Aghios Nikolaos, in a verdurous slope within immense olive groves, with an unlimited view to the valley of Myrtos, the Libyan Sea and the mountain peaks that surround it.

Capacity: 26,240 (seated)- Location: The stadium is located in Heraklion (also: Iraklio) 3 km west of the city centre (at Lido beach)... The building began 15 years ago and the 2004 Olympic Games proved to be the golden opportunity for the Pancretan, as the Athens Organising Committee named it as one of the venues of the football tournament.
It was inaugurated on 31 March 2004, when it hosted an international friendly match between the National teams of Greece and Switzerland. The stadium is currently the second largest stadium of the country.
The stadium is actually part of a sports complex. A training ground with an 8-lane athletics track, Lido Indoor Hall, and a swimming pool are located right next to the Pancretan Stadium.

It is a small village with few residents, loacated 4 km to the west of the village Christos at an altitude of 600 m. The residents of Metaxohori (GR: Μεταξοχώρι, or Parsás - GR: Παρσάς) have immigrated to the plains of Ierapetra, in Stomio, Ammoudares and Xerokampos and work in the glasshouses. The village has been renamed in 1955 from Parsas to Metaxohori to honor the Ecumenical Patriarch Meletios Metaxakis who was born here.

The TEI, located on the beautiful island of Crete, was founded in 1983 in order to provide Higher Technical Education to the students of Greece. Since then it has expanded and developed considerably, and now comprises the Schools of
Applied Technology (also in Chania and Rethimno)
Health & Welfare Services
Management & Economics (also in Agio Nikolao and Ierapetra) and
Agricultural Technology
assisted by he Departments of General Sciences, Foreign Languages and Physical Education. Students at the TEI follow courses for 4 years including lectures and practical work in laboratories. In addition, they complete a work placement and dissertation before graduating.
Education at the TEI offers up to date training in technological subjects and prepares students to develop into skilled, responsible and qualified members of society. With a permanent teaching staff of 200 and approximately 10.000 students the TEI of Heraklion is a thriving academic community with an extensive library, student halls of residence, sport facilities and a health center.
P.O. Box 1939 IRAKLIO, Crete, Greece, GR 710 04 Tel: Fax: +30 281 0379328
http://www.teicrete.gr

Agios Nikolaos General Hospital (GR: Γενικό Νοσοκομείο Αγίου Νικολάου) is located in Agios Nikolaos in the prefecture of Lassithi. The St. Nicholas Hospital is a large modern hospital that provides full medical treatment and services to the population of the area since 1940.

The Archaeological Museum of Aghios Nikolaos is one of the most important in Crete and has been in operation since 1969. It houses collections of very important archaeological finds from the whole of Eastern Crete, an area extending from Malia as far as Zakros. These are displayed in chronological order from the Neolithic period (5700 - 2800 B.C.) to the end of the Roman times (100 B.C. - 400 A.D.) Its showcases include more than 1350 vases from the 3rd millennium B.C. as well as gold and copper finds (the most ancient found in Crete).

Lake Voulismeni (Gr: Λίμνη Βουλισμένη) or just "the Lake" for the locals, is located at the centre of the town of Agios Nikolaos. It has a circular shape of a diameter of 137 m and depth 64 m. The lake connects to the harbour of the town by a channel dug in 1870.
A panoramic view of the lake can be seen from a small park situated above it. According to legend, the goddess Athena bathed in it. Every year at midnight turning to Orthodox Christian Easter day, the majority of the population of the town gathers around the lake to celebrate with fireworks, and firecrackers.
It was reported that the German army during their withdrawal from the area at WW2, disposed parts of their weaponry and/or vehicles into the deep lake.
A local urban legend has it that the lake is bottomless. That notion is potentially based on its impressively disproportional high depth compared to its width (64m depth on only 134m width) or/and on locals noticing disturbances at the surface or also the level of the water during the Santorini (Thera) earthquake of 1956. Because of the latter, many assume a possible geological relation of the two locations, but this claim has not been substantiated by known scientific surveys to date.