Heraklion (regional unit)
Heraklion is one of the four regional units of Crete. The capital is the city of Heraklion.
Geography
The regional unit of Heraklion borders on the regional units of Rethymno to the west and Lasithi to the east. Farmlands are situated in the central and the northern parts, at the coast and in valleys. The mountains dominate the rest of the regional unit, notably the south. The main mountains are Mt Ida or Psiloritis to the west, Mt Juktas near Heraklion and Asterousia in the south. The regional unit includes the island of Dia to the north.Except for the mountains which receive mild to cool winters unlike northern Greece, the warm to hot Mediterranean climate dominates the regional unit.
Ancient history
Within the Heraklion regional unit's boundaries are a number of significant Neolithic and Minoan settlements, most notably the ancient palace complexes of Knossos and Phaistos. While both archaeological sites evince Neolithic habitation from 7000 BC, it is the rich finds of Minoan civilisation, which flourished approximately 2800 to 1450 BC, that command the greatest scholarly attention.Important ancient cities are:
Administration
The regional unit Heraklion is subdivided into 8 municipalities. These are :Prefecture
The Heraklion prefecture was created in 1915, after Crete joined with the rest of Greece. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Heraklion was created out of the former prefecture Heraklion. The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.| New municipality | Old municipalities | Seat |
| Archanes-Asterousia | Archanes | Peza |
| Archanes-Asterousia | Asterousia | Peza |
| Archanes-Asterousia | Nikos Kazantzakis | Peza |
| Faistos | Zaros | Moires |
| Faistos | Moires | Moires |
| Faistos | Tympaki | Moires |
| Gortyna | Gortyna | Agioi Deka |
| Gortyna | Agia Varvara | Agioi Deka |
| Gortyna | Kofinas | Agioi Deka |
| Gortyna | Rouvas | Agioi Deka |
| Heraklion | Heraklion | Heraklion |
| Heraklion | Gorgolainis | Heraklion |
| Heraklion | Nea Alikarnassos | Heraklion |
| Heraklion | Paliani | Heraklion |
| Heraklion | Temenos | Heraklion |
| Hersonissos | Hersonissos | Gournes |
| Hersonissos | Episkopi | Gournes |
| Hersonissos | Gouves | Gournes |
| Hersonissos | Malia | Gournes |
| Malevizi | Gazi | Gazi |
| Malevizi | Krousonas | Gazi |
| Malevizi | Tylisos | Gazi |
| Minoa Pediada | Arkalochori | Evangelismos |
| Minoa Pediada | Thrapsano | Evangelismos |
| Minoa Pediada | Kasteli | Evangelismos |
| Viannos | Viannos | Ano Viannos |
Provinces
- Province of Pyrgiotissa - Voroi
- Province of Kainourgio - Moires
- Province of Malevizi - Agios Myronas
- Province of Temenos - Heraklion
- Province of Pediada - Kasteli
- Province of Monofatsi - Pyrgos
- Province of Viannos - Pefkos
Transport
Notable people
- El Greco, by which Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος Domênikos Theotokópoulos, is best known., a world-famous painter, sculptor and architect
- Nikos Kazantzakis was born in the village Varvaro The municipal unit in which Myrtia is located, was named after him.