Archaeological site of Eleftherna Crete

Eleftherna, or Eleutherna (Greek Ελεύθερνα) is an ancient city located about 25 kilometers southeast of Rethymno near the Arkadi Monastery exactly on the ridge of Mount Psiloritis at 380 meters above sea level.

The reason for its position at this point in the center of the island of Crete was dictated by the fact that it was right on the roads that connected ancient Kydonia (today's Chania), Knossos, Mount Ida,Phaistos and Gortyna. The natural protection of the hill and the water of the streams that came from the mountain allowed to cultivate the land and raise animals and, being a large fertile surface to be able to take advantage of the gifts of Mother Nature such as herbs, honey and excellent limestone to create sculptures and architectural works, they made Eleftherna prosper becoming a strategic and valuable point.

A very important archaeological site not yet fully discovered but which he presumes will provide information of great value to archaeologists. The first excavations began in 1985 by the University of Crete and traces of its history are still sought today. In fact, writings reveal that already at the end of the 19th century Payne Artur Evans, the discoverer of Knossos, took an interest in the site but abandoned it because in his opinion it was not very interesting. In 1929 they resumed research from the Briths Archaeological School but were also suspended.

The city was founded by the Dorians in the 9th century BC and was an ally with Philip V of Macedon in the First Cretan War from 205-200 BC against Knossos. The arrival of the Romans under the command of general Quinto Cecilio Metello made Eleftherna expand considerably thanks to the construction of baths, villas, public buildings, large cisterns, and towers. From 365 BC it was conquered by the Byzantines and became a diocese and in this period the great Basilica was built whose remains can still be seen today. In the eighth century, the continuous Arab invasions and in 796 a violent earthquake led to the destruction of the city and its abandonment.

The main finds were discovered in three different places, in Orthi Petra in the west, in Pyrgi at the top of the hill, in Katsivelo in the north and in the Nisi area where finds from the Hellenistic era are found.

Of considerable importance is the necropolis of the ancient Geometric period of Orthi Petra where a tomb called "warriors' tomb" was found with 480 vessels and weapons as well as a trench of warriors killed during a battle. In 2010 then a surprising discovery was a tomb of 700 BC miraculously not looted blocked by a heavy boulder of over 800 kilos with inside a lying vase and a jar containing the remains of bones of a young couple covered with a golden hat made up of 3000 sheets of gold with different shapes. And again a jewel worn by the young woman in the shape of a bee, a sacred animal in Crete which, when viewed from a different position, becomes a lily. The highlight of the findings remains the life-size gold eye which was called the eye of Tutankhamun due to the similarity with that of the Egyptian King's funerary mask.

In Pyrgi, on the other hand, considered the center of the ancient settlement of Eleftherna, buildings from the Roman and early Christian periods have come to light.

The great importance of the Eleftherna site meant that a beautiful Archaeological Museum was created. Inside the area, to further enhance this great gift of the past, paths, information panels, wooden stairs have been prepared to better visit the whole area.

If you don't have your own vehicle, from Rethymno there are public buses with a frequency every 4 hours but as always we advise you to view the timetables. For information + 30 2821091288.

If you have your own vehicle, head east and via EO Rethimnou Irakliou / Voak / E75 / EO90 and then head to Epar.Od. Platanon-Moni Arkadiou and finally follow the signs for Eleftherna.

For archeology enthusiasts certainly a site to visit and put on the list of things to see in Rethymno, but even those who do not have this passion can still decide to make a new experience that will certainly leave an excellent memory and can be a valid alternative to a day at sea.