Heraklion
Heraklion, Herakleion or Iraklion, is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete and capital of Heraklion regional unit. It is the fourth largest city in Greece, and the largest city in the Greek islands, with a municipal population of 179,302 and 211,370 in its wider metropolitan area, according to the 2011 census.
The greater area of Heraklion has been continuously inhabited since at least 7000 BCE, making it one of the oldest inhabited regions in Europe. It is also home to the ancient Knossos Palace, a major center of the Minoan civilization dating back to approximately 2000-1350 BCE, often considered Europe's oldest city. The palace is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Greece, second only to the Parthenon in terms of visitor numbers.
Heraklion was Europe's fastest growing tourism destination for 2017, according to Euromonitor, with an 11.2% growth in international arrivals. According to the ranking, Heraklion was ranked as the 20th most visited region in Europe, as the 66th area on the planet and as the 2nd in Greece for the year 2017, with 3.2 million visitors and the 19th in Europe for 2018, with 3.4 million visitors.
Etymology
The name Herakleion is derived from an ancient port of Heracleium that served as the harbour for Knossos. The port, bearing the same name, was named in honour of the hero Heracles. In antiquity, it was located about 20 stadia from Knossos. Strabo also confirms the connection between the two.The site of the ancient port falls within the boundaries of the modern city, near today’s port area. Although ecclesiastical records do not list it as a bishopric, a bishop named Theodoros of Heracleopolis is mentioned at the Second Council of Nicaea.
The name was revived in the 19th century and was in use by locals as early as 1867.
Other names
1. In antiquity: The area that would later become the city of Heraklion served as the port for the ancient city of Knossos, one of the centers of the Minoan civilization. This strategic location facilitated trade and communication across the Mediterranean. Over time, as Knossos declined, the port area grew in significance, eventually becoming a prominent urban center.2. Rabḍ al-ḫandaq : In 824 CE, Arab exiles from al-Andalus who conquered Crete and founded the Emirate of Crete moved the island's capital from Gortyna to a new castle they called rabḍ al-ḫandaq.
3. Chándax / Chándakas : The Arabic name rabḍ al-ḫandaq was Hellenized to Χάνδαξ or Χάνδακας.
4. Candia: This name, derived from Chándax, was Latinized as Candia and adopted into other European languages: in Italian and Latin as Candia, in Spanish as Candía, in French as Candie, and in English as Candy. These names could refer to the island of Crete as a whole as well as to the city alone; the Ottoman name for the city was Kandiye.
5. Megalo Kastro : After the Byzantine reconquest of Crete, the city was locally known as Megalo Kastro and its inhabitants were called Kastrinoi.
History
Minoan era
Heraklion is home to the ruins of the palace of Knossos, located in the southern periphery of the city and part of the Heraklion municipality. In Minoan times, Knossos was the largest centre of population on Crete and is considered by many to be the oldest city in Europe.Knossos itself had a port at the site of Heraklion from the beginning of the Early Minoan period.
Antiquity
After the fall of the Minoans, Heraklion, as well as the rest of Crete in general, fared poorly, with very little development in the area. Only with the arrival of the Romans did some construction in the area begin, yet especially early into Byzantine times the area abounded with pirates and bandits.Emirate of Crete
Heraklion was chosen as capital in 824, with fortifications starting being built the following year, by the Moors under Abu Hafs Umar who had been expelled from Al-Andalus by Emir Al-Hakam I and had taken over the island from the Eastern Roman Empire. They built a moat around the city for protection, and named the city rabḍ al-ḫandaq. It became the capital of the Emirate of Crete. The Saracens allowed the port to be used as a safe haven for pirates who operated against Imperial shipping and raided Imperial territory around the Aegean.Byzantine era
In 960, Byzantine forces under the command of Nikephoros Phokas, later to become Emperor, landed in Crete and attacked the city. After a prolonged siege, the city fell in March 961. The Saracen inhabitants were slaughtered, the city looted and burned to the ground. Soon rebuilt, the town remained under Byzantine control for the next 243 years.Venetian era
In 1204, the city was bought by the Republic of Venice as part of a complicated political deal which involved, among other things, the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade restoring the deposed Eastern Roman Emperor Isaac II Angelus to his throne. The Venetians improved on the ditch of the city by building enormous fortifications, most of which are still in place, including a giant wall, in places up to thick, with seven bastions, and a fortress in the harbour. Chandax was renamed Candia and became the seat of the Duke of Candia, and the Venetian administrative district of Crete became known as "Regno di Candia". The city retained the name of Candia for centuries and the same name was often used to refer to the whole island of Crete as well. To secure their rule, the Venetians began in 1212 to settle families from Venice on Crete. The coexistence of two different cultures and the stimulus of the Italian Renaissance led to a flourishing of letters and the arts in Candia and Crete in general, that is today known as the Cretan Renaissance.Ottoman era
During the Cretan War, the Ottomans besieged the city for 21 years, from 1648 to 1669, the longest siege in history up until that time. In its final phase, which lasted for 22 months, 70,000 Turks, 38,000 Cretans and slaves and 29,088 of the city's Christian defenders perished. The Ottoman army under an Albanian grand vizier, Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed Pasha conquered the city in 1669.Under the Ottomans, Kandiye was the capital of Crete until 1849, when Chania became the capital, and Kandiye became a sancak. In Greek, it was commonly called Megalo Castro.
During the Ottoman period, the harbour silted up, so most shipping shifted to Chania in the west of the island.
Modern era
An earthquake located off the northern coast of Crete on October 12, 1856, destroyed most of the over 3,600 homes in the city. Only 18 homes were left intact. The disaster claimed 538 victims in Heraklion.In 1898, the autonomous Cretan State was created, under Ottoman suzerainty, with Prince George of Greece as its High Commissioner and under international supervision. During the period of direct occupation of the island by the Great Powers, Candia was part of the British zone. At this time the ancient name of "Heraklion" was revived.
In 1913, with the rest of Crete, Heraklion was incorporated into the Kingdom of Greece. Heraklion was severely damaged in the bombing campaign in May 1941 during the German invasion in the Battle of Crete. The city remained under German rule until 1945. Heraklion again became capital of Crete in 1971, replacing Chania. The city, and Crete generally, became a major tourist destination from the 1980s onwards.
Architecture, urban sculpture and fortifications
The oldest monument of architecture is the palace in Knossos on the outskirts of the city.Two largest medieval churches in the city were the Dominican church of St. Peter and the San Salvatore, belonging to the Augustinian Friars. The latter one stood in Kornaros Square, but was demolished in 1970.
Other monuments of architecture from Venetian times include the Saint Mark's Basilica and the Renaissance loggia next to Lions Square.
Around the historic city center of Heraklion there are also a series of defensive walls, bastions and other fortifications which were built earlier in the Middle Ages, but were completely rebuilt by the Republic of Venice. The fortifications managed to withstand the longest siege in history for 21 years, before the city fell to the Ottomans in 1669. The Koules Fortress, the ramparts and the arsenal dominate the port area.
Many fountains of the Venetian era are preserved, such as the Bembo fountain, the Priuli fountain, Palmeti fountain, Sagredo fountain and Morosini fountain in Lions Square.
Architecture from the 19th century is represented by the St Titus Cathedral, built in 1869 as the Yeni Cami, and the Agios Minas Cathedral.
An example of modern architecture in Heraklion is the Heraklion Archaeological Museum built between 1937 and 1940 by architect Patroklos Karantinos.
Several sculptures, statues and busts commemorating significant events and figures of the city's and island's history, like El Greco, Vitsentzos Kornaros, Nikos Kazantzakis and Eleftherios Venizelos can be found around the city.
Municipality
The municipality Heraklion was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 5 former municipalities, that became municipal units:- Gorgolainis
- Heraklion
- Nea Alikarnassos
- Paliani
- Temenos
Neighborhoods
| • Agia Ekaterini | • Dimokratias | • Marathitis |
| • Agia Erini Chrisovalantou | • Estavromenos | • Mastabas |
| • Agia Marina | • Filothei | • Mesabelies |
| • Agia Triada | • Fortetsa | • Mpentevi |
| • Agios Dimitrios | • Ilioupoli | • Nea Alatsata |
| • Agios Ioannis Chostos | • Kamaraki | • Pananio |
| • Agios Minas | • Kaminia | • Papatitou Metochi |
| • Agios Titos | • Katsampas | • Pateles |
| • Akadimia | • Kenouria Porta | • Poros |
| • Ampelokipoi | • Kipoupoli | • Therissos |
| • Analipsi | • Komeno Mpenteni | • Tris Vagies |
| • Atsalenio | • Korakovouni | • Xiropotamos |
| • Chanioporta | • Koroni Magara | |
| • Chrisopigi | • Knossos | |
| • Dilina | • Lido |