Plakias – Rethymno

NATURAL GORGES

The overall picture of our municipality is influenced by two rivers, which helped to create the two extraordinary gorges,

Kotsifos gorge (which is noted for the high number of Cretan endemic plant species that grow there) 

Agios Nikolaos Church is located in the middle of Kotsifou gorge 

and Kourtaliotis gorge

Kourtaliotis gorge is one of the most magnificent natural attractions of Crete. Up to three kilometres in length and with lush vegetation, Kourtaliotis gorge takes its beginning from the Koksare village and goes between the mountains of Kouroupa (984 m) and the Dry Mountain (904 m) to end up at Preveli beach washed by the Libyan Sea.

Along its length, huge cliffs of limestone, reaching 500 meters in height, are full of caves, where many species of birds are nesting, especially raptors (the cliffs on the side of the gorge provide a roosting site for the Lammergeier vulture), making the Kourtaliotis gorge an important biotope, not only of domestic, but also of international importance.  There are also clusters of Theophrastus palms (Phoenix theophrastii) in the canyon, making it the second largest palm forest of Crete.

Kourtaliotis gorge or Kourtaliotiko canyon takes its name from the air whistling that sounds like Kourtala (=castanets) when northern winds are blowing going past the cavities in the rocks.

In the middle of the route and deep inside the canyon, when following the steps along the Koksare – Asomatos road, the visitor will find the Church of Agia Kyriaki (Holy Sunday),

the Church of Agios Nikolaos and the springs of Kourtaliotis River (with plenty of water and a 40-metre-high waterfall) following the order and proportions of the fingers of one hand and according to a legend being created by the Saint himself. There is also the chapel of Agios Georgios nearby, decorated with a fresco of Holy Trinity, where the Holy Spirit is depicted as a dove flying from the lips of the Father, unique throughout Greece. Along Kourtaliotis gorge, the visitor will come across an arched stone bridge over a lake, which was built because it rains a lot in winter, Kourtaliotis River overflows and cannot be easily crossed. The river runs through a part of the gorge and reaches its exit, flowing out into the Preveli Lake, after having joined the Frati gorge.

Their natural beauty makes it worthwhile to explore them either on foot or by bicycle.

PREVELI MONASTERY

 It was probably founded in the Middle Ages, during the occupation of Crete by the Republic of Venice, its founder being a feudal lord named Prevelis. It developed over several centuries as a religious and cultural centre for the local population. After the Ottoman Turkish occupation of the island, Abbot Melchissedek Tsouderos led a group of rebels in the Greek War of Independence in 1821, one result of which was that the monastery was destroyed, but later rebuilt. In 1866 and 1878, the monastery was again active in organising rebellions against the Turks, which helped contribute to Crete’s eventual independence and then its political union with Greece.

In the Battle of Crete in 1941, Agathangelos Lagouvardos helped supply British, Australian and New Zealand troops on the island, and provided shelter for them. A group of Australian soldiers protected by the monastery managed to secure their rescue by submarine from the island at Preveli Beach. After this was discovered, the Lower Monastery was destroyed by German forces.

The upper monastery contains numerous religious relics and icons, and many of its buildings, now heavily restored, are open to the public. There are also a number of monuments to the work of the monastery during the Second World War, many of them financed by rescued Australian former soldiers.

Lower Preveli Monastery

HISTORY OF VILLAGES AROUND PLAKIAS

The village of Sellia is almost 800 years old, since it appeared when the settlements of Kantonia were united in order to protect themselves from the pirates. Kotsifou gorge is the entrance to the village of Sellia. Great attractions of the village are also the 15 churches dating to the Byzantine period, with the church of Agios Fotis being the most important of them all; the church was built during the lifetime of Nikiforos Fokas.

The village of Myrthios overlooks the cove of Plakias of the prefecture of Rethymno. At the foot of Mount Vrisinas the green village of Myrthios stands, whose name according to tradition originates in the word myrtiá (=myrtle), since once in the canter of the village there was a large myrtle tree.

The residents of Myrthios village do not all hail from Crete, as many moved here from different parts of Greece, while the village was also inhabited by pirates in the past. The first written record of the village Myrthios is found in the Venetian era, as a fief of a Venetian family. It is said that initially the village was built near the sea, but the frequent pirate raids forced the inhabitants to move to higher grounds.

15 kilometres away west from Plakias the natural beauty of the two small villages, Epano Rodakino & Kato Rodakino (Upper & Lower) Rodakino (=Peach),   it boasts an incredibly beautiful beach with soft sand, clear waters and tranquil atmosphere. The village was totally destroyed during the Venetian occupation, with only one resident escaping. A tavern is found close to this beach. Despite the fact that it is not one of the most popular or most visited places in Rethymno, it is definitely a beautiful, quiet place that is worth visiting.

Kali Sykia Village. The Burning of Kali Sykia village is one of many atrocities perpetrated in Greece by Fritz Schubert and his men during the Nazi occupation of Greece in World War II.