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Elounda
Holidays with apartments at the sandy beach of Crete |
 Elounda on the Greek island of Crete: Travelling, sightseeing, holidays, apartments, studios and hotels in Elounda within the Gulf of Merabellou.
Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean. Its salient geographical position, practically in the midlle of the eastern Mediterranean, between the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa played a crucial role in its history, from antiquity to the present. It has an area of 8,241 sq. km (the islands of Gavdos, Dia and Kouphonisi bring the total to 8,407 sq. km). It is long and narrow, its greatest length being 260 km. while its width varies from 60 km to 12 km. It is rimmed by four seas: the Karpathian to the east, the Myrtoos to the west, the Cretan to the north and the Libyan to the south. |
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Left, a short video of the most famous dog of Elounda, the district of Lasithi or possible whole Crete:
This mix of poodle and terrier, which hears to the name Chelsea, during the hunting of her favorite prey ! |
 Elounda is a world renowned tourism resort located to the north of Aghios Nikolaos, having an indented coastline, shaded beaches, crystal clear seas, a tranquil and heavenly environment with good hotels, apartments and studios.
It is 10 km distance from Aghios Nikolaos, and the cutting along the side of the road affords you the opportunity to admire the spectacular view of the Gulf of Merabellou and Korfos. The village is built on the southern coast of the bay of Elounda, 1 km east of the ancient settlement of Olous (Olounda), from which it has taken its name. This used to be the favored place of legendary figures from Minoan Crete and of historical figures of our times.
The four villages of Elounda are spread out along the lower slopes of the approach to the Massif.
Pano and Kato Elounda, Mavrikiano and the new settlement of Skisma, the port of Elounda, bask in the glorious sea as it opens up before them offering its beauty and charm.
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 Spinalonga is an island fortress on the south western entrance to the bay of Elounda. It is 5.6 km away from Skisma. On the rocky island of Spinalonga, a fortress was built even from ancient ages to protect the port of the ancient Eloundians. It is reported that many Christians from the surrounding villages took refuge in the ruins to save themselves during the time that the Saracens overtook Crete.
In 1579, the Venetian rulers built the most powerful fortress that we can admire today for the safety of the port of Elounda, to enclose the area at the entrance to every hostile ship. In 1630, the fortress seemed to be impregnable. In 1715, the Kapoudan Pasha, the Turkish captain, besieged it at close quarters and finally the Venetians surrendered. During the 1821 Revolution, it was a safe haven for many Turks, and during the 19th century it was the main port which was importing and exporting goods for the entire region of Gulf of Merabellou.
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 The christian Basilica of Poros (5th century) has been built on the ruins of an ancient temple.
The construction of the salt-pans and of the fortress of Spinalonga by the Venetians was the main cause of the destruction of all edifices that had remained intact. The stones of ancient Olous were used as a construction material for the salt-pans and the fortress. The edifices, the different findings, the old coins, the inscriptions and the statues that were found testify the prosperity and the culture of this city, a big part of which is now covered by the sea. The French archaeologists claimed that Olous existed and flourished as a Minoan city and that it continues to provide important archaeological diggings. The cause (or the causes) of the destruction is not known exactly, just as the causes of the extermination of its 30.000 people are not revealed. More likely the cause should be the earthquake of 780 A.C. or the conquest by the Arabs. |
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