From History

Crete is considered as the cradle of the Western Civilization. The term “Minoan” was coined by the British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans after the mythic King Minos, whose palace was the renowned Knossos.

The palace is about 130 meters on a side and since the Roman period has been suggested as the source of the myth of the Labyrinth, an elaborated mazelike structure constructed for King Minos of Crete and designed by the legendary artificer Daedalus to hold the Minotaur, a creature that was half man and half bull and eventually killed by the Athenian hero Theseus.

During the Middle Ages, Crete was part of the Byzantine Empire and Venice. In the Venetian era, Crete went through its renaissance, the Cretan Renaissance, especially after the fall of Constantinople (1453 AD.). The Regno di Candia, which means the Kingdom of Crete, with its capital Chandax (known as Candia to the Latins-nowadays Heraklion) became the epicenter of the greek medieval world, due to the island’s rebellious history and its intellectual growth.

The great painter, Dhamaskinos, who studied alongside El Greco, (Domenicos Theotokopoulos) at the school of Ayia Ekatirini in Iraklion and other highly respected individuals, such as Marcos Mousouros and Vitsentzos Kornaros, were also children of Crete.

It was during this period that some inhabitants chose to build a village in a unique location that overlooks the remarkable view, situated in an area with an extraordinary climate.  The village is called Achlada.  Achlada is mentioned in several archives in the medieval ages between the years 1577 to 1583.  During Venetian rule, Achlada was a feudal estate of the brothers Giorgio and Francisco Modinos.

This beautiful village is located near the village of Agia Pelagia, where the area is rich in vegetation, with amazing landscapes and featuring four different beaches.  Today, Achlada, is an ideal place for visitors to leave urban stress behind and enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of nature and the ecotourism activities available in the area.

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