Isthmus of Ierapetra

The Isthmus of Ierapetra is a strip of land on the Greek island of Crete which connects the easternmost municipality, Siteia, to the rest of the island. Its name comes from the largest settlement, Ierapetra, which is situated on the south coast.

Geography

The isthmus is the narrowest part of Crete, with a distance of 12 kilometres from the Gulf of Mirabello in the north to the Libyan Sea in the south. It is flanked by mountain ranges on the east and west. The imposing Ha Gorge, located on the Thrypti Mountains, overlooks the isthmus from the eastern side.

A number of archaeological sites are dotted around the isthmus. The bronze age site of Vasiliki, in the middle of the isthmus, lends its name to an early form of Minoan pottery found primarily on the site. Other Minoan sites in the vicinity are Gournia, Priniatikos Pyrgos and Chalasmenos. The Neolithic refuge site of Monastiraki Katalimata is located high up on the northern side of the Ha Gorge.

The isthmus falls within the jurisdiction of Ierapetra Municipality, in the Lassithi regional unit.