Starting with the Prophet Elijah (Prophitis Ilias) follow the main road artery, with southerly direction. After 6 km you reach Kiparissi.
Kiparissi is the largest village in the area, located in the southern part of the province of Temenos at a distance of 23 kilometers from Heraklion, featuring cafes and very good taverns.
One km about South of the village of Kiparissi in the NW side of a low Hill, where it is known under the name "Stou Vathia" tombs where dating in Late Minoan IIIA-b period.
In the top of the Hill were identified by F. Alexiou relics large Late Minoan building. This building has already heavily damaged the crop.
A few walls are still visible at the top of the Hill, where is what altitude. index of State: Attica. Service.
Or extent of dispersion of scallops on top and the eastern side of the Hill perhaps shows that it is a settlement rather than an isolated building.
To ΝΕ edge of the same hill stands the ' Rocky overview ' roofing where it originated or First group known pottery.
It is characteristic for the importance of the position that the Hill has remains of prepalatial, later Palace ανδ Postpalatial years, dominating at the main crossing, where as had pointed out the A. Evans connected in Minoan times North Central Crete with the area of messara.
The Kiparissi - Kalos area, where is located next to the Minoan Knossos-Iraklion road axis, and an equal distance between them, it was natural to accept influences from both these important areas.
Found so influences both from Knossos and the Messara in decorating pots and in a variety of construction details.
Along the Minoan pathway where it was in use until a few decades ago, have been identified and other significant Minoan sites.
So, in about three kilometres south of "The Deep (Stou Vathia)" is the location of the "Trapeza of Kalos" with the PERIOD BETWEEN cemetery and settlement INSTITUTIONS.
Two kilometres north along the pathway, has also identified installation of middle Minoan (MMIIIB-YMI) slots to position «Halikias ', to BA. side of the Hill "Trochalas Head" .
Relics of the mid-Minoan (MMI-II) perisyllechtikan period from the top of the Hill "Kaimenos", about 500 meters east from "Stou Vathia", while to the West near the village of Pirgos, identified by A. Evans ancient buildings and YMI tomb was unearthed here beside visible then parts of the ancient pathway.
The findings of our region offer interesting facts about the life and character of this site during the prehistoric period.
Then the main road from Kiparissi ascends with Southeast towards the small hamlet located 3.5 km Galeni farther south. Our right we encounter the miraculous Church of Panagia Galeniani.
The road continues in most mountain villages and leads 3 km. below the village of Roukani with exceptional architecture Byzantine Church of Agios Ioannis.
We continue from the East direction Roukani 3 km. Our road leads to the village of Karkadiotissa. The scenery changes form, crops, pastures with grazing thin mainly areas spread out around us.
In Karkadiotissa you can visit the ruins of a Byzantine Vigla. Continuing East to Karkadiotissa halfway through you'll come across the monastery of Aistratigoy and if you follow the dirt road just before the entrance of the Karkadiotissas you will find yourself in the abandoned village of Agalantes, with lemon and bitter orange trees. The Aistratigoy Monastery is built in a picturesque landscape, Northwest of Moni Epanosifi, about 2 km from the village Karkadiotissa.
The landscape is lush and varied accordingly confirmed those who claim that the monasteries were built in the most beautiful locations. Oak, Cypress and other trees cretae an amazing picture, while in very short space of the monastery there are two sources that were used for the water supply of.
The Aistratigoy functioned as a Monastery and the first years of Turkish occupation. Here's a period of desolation and the dependence of the Epanosifi monastery. With regard to these developments, the historical gap that observes is great. The tradition only wants the monastery of General to is a dependency of a Turkish Agha who gave in the Epanosifi monastery. Continuing the road after Karkadiwtissa, in 3 km you will reach the historic monastery of Apanosifi, the boundaries of the neighbouring municipality of kazantzakis.
The Apanosifi Monastery dominates an entire area, dumping within the boundaries of provinces Temenos and Monofatsi. Built during the last years of Venetian rule and acquired such a reputation that in the next few years (the period of Turkish rule) was one of the greatest shrines of Crete!
Source:
George Rethemniwtakis, Ysterominwikos Iarkleioy thalamwtos Tomb in Kiparissi, Eilapini a, 1987
Consultant Route:
Basil Drossos, President Of AEC Lasithiou
Tsakalakis George, Geologist, Office Manager ecotourism