General Information of the Municipal Unit of Kantanos

The Municipal Unit of Kantanos is a mountainous unit of the prefecture of Chania with a population of 1607 inhabitants, a total area of ​​73,814 acres and includes the municipal districts of Kantanos, Plemenian and Kakodiki. It is 52 km from Chania and 15 km from Paleochora. The wider area is full of water and overgrown with olive trees, oaks, chestnuts, plane trees, pines, cypresses, prinos, aromatic plants, citrus and vines. Falcons, hares, nightingales, partridges, blackbirds, ferrets, hedgehogs, owls and weasels, compose its fauna and paths of rich natural beauty, cross the area and pass through the many Byzantine churches of the Municipal Unit. Today, Kantanos gathers services, such as OTE, ELTA, Bank, Police, Health Center, Magistrate’s Court, veterinary clinic, Fire Department, Notary and Mortgage Office. It also has a kindergarten, elementary school, high school, lyceum. There are hotels, as well as restaurants with traditional Cretan food, patisseries and several cafes. In the territory of the D. unit, numerous cultural associations are active and there is a cooperative oil mill and cheese factory. The inhabitants are engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry, trade.

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Geography

History

The story of Kantanos, whose name means “City of Victory”, dates back to the Doric era. It was one of the hundred cities of Homer and during the Roman and Byzantine years, it experienced great development as an episcopal see. This explains the forty-nine Byzantine churches with exceptional frescoes of rare theme, which exist in the area of ​​responsibility of the Municipal unit. However, the area of ​​Kantanos, has suffered many of the conquerors of the island and in three periods has been completely destroyed. The first was during the occupation of Crete by Arab and Saracen pirates (824-961). Then, from 1866 to 1897, due to the constant conflicts during the years of the Cretan Revolution, the houses and properties of its inhabitants were burned seven times. Finally, during World War II on June 3, 1941, the Nazis burned it and leveled it, avenging the resistance they encountered from its inhabitants outside the Primary School. The Nazis left three inscriptions in Kantano, unique historical monuments in all of Europe, as wherever they destroyed, they did not leave written evidence of their crime, but they did not emphasize the resistance they encountered so much. On the two signs, which had been placed at the entrances of Kantanos from Paleochora and Chania respectively, were written in Greek and German the following: “For the brutal murder of German paratroopers, alpinists and the Engineer, by a man and a woman and children and priests together and because they dared to resist against the Great Reich, Kandanos was completely destroyed on 3-6-1941, so that it would never be rebuilt. ” And somewhat misspelled in the second: “IN RESPONSE TO THE FAR ARMED CITIZENS, MEN AND WOMEN OF THE REARLY MURDERED GERMAN SOLDIERS DESTRUCTION”. Finally, the content of the third marble slab brought by the occupiers in 1943 is: “Here was Kantanos – Destroyed to avenge the murder of 25 German soldiers”.

Sights

Plemeniana The village of Plemeniana is located shortly after Kantano, on the road to Paleochora. From Plemeniana, there is also the provincial road that connects the province of Selino with the province of Kissamos (Plemeniana – Strovles – Elos – Chrysoskalitissa – Elafonissi and Plemeniana – Strovles – Topolia – Voulgaro – Kasteli (the route is from Green and beautiful in the prefecture of Chania.Plemeniana, is a green and picturesque village with a few dozen inhabitants and many smaller settlements around.In the settlement of Kopetoi 1.5 km from Plemeniana to Strovles, there is the early Christian church of Agios Apostolos that was renovated Kakodiki The village of Kakodik, 65 km from Chania, on the road Chania – Tavronitis – Kantanos – Paleochora and has many Byzantine churches in different parts of the village. , is the Byzantine church of Michael the Archangel with a magnificent exterior decoration on the door, mural and an inscription of 1387. To reach it, you will go to the neighborhood of Kallithea from the road after Kakodiki and turn left, immediately after the village. The road leads you to the church of Michael the Archangel, which is located next to the large, newer church of the village. The priest has the key and his house is located 200 meters below the church, on the hill. Michael the Archangel, has 14th century frescoes and an incredibly carved altar. In a mural, there is a rare portrait of Michael the Archangel on horseback.

Geography

Geography

History

History

The story of Kantanos, whose name means “City of Victory”, dates back to the Doric era. It was one of the hundred cities of Homer and during the Roman and Byzantine years, it experienced great development as an episcopal see. This explains the forty-nine Byzantine churches with exceptional frescoes of rare theme, which exist in the area of ​​responsibility of the Municipal unit. However, the area of ​​Kantanos, has suffered many of the conquerors of the island and in three periods has been completely destroyed. The first was during the occupation of Crete by Arab and Saracen pirates (824-961). Then, from 1866 to 1897, due to the constant conflicts during the years of the Cretan Revolution, the houses and properties of its inhabitants were burned seven times. Finally, during World War II on June 3, 1941, the Nazis burned it and leveled it, avenging the resistance they encountered from its inhabitants outside the Primary School. The Nazis left three inscriptions in Kantano, unique historical monuments in all of Europe, as wherever they destroyed, they did not leave written evidence of their crime, but they did not emphasize the resistance they encountered so much. On the two signs, which had been placed at the entrances of Kantanos from Paleochora and Chania respectively, were written in Greek and German the following: “For the brutal murder of German paratroopers, alpinists and the Engineer, by a man and a woman and children and priests together and because they dared to resist against the Great Reich, Kandanos was completely destroyed on 3-6-1941, so that it would never be rebuilt. ” And somewhat misspelled in the second: “IN RESPONSE TO THE FAR ARMED CITIZENS, MEN AND WOMEN OF THE REARLY MURDERED GERMAN SOLDIERS DESTRUCTION”. Finally, the content of the third marble slab brought by the occupiers in 1943 is: “Here was Kantanos – Destroyed to avenge the murder of 25 German soldiers”.

Sights

Sights

Plemeniana The village of Plemeniana is located shortly after Kantano, on the road to Paleochora. From Plemeniana, there is also the provincial road that connects the province of Selino with the province of Kissamos (Plemeniana – Strovles – Elos – Chrysoskalitissa – Elafonissi and Plemeniana – Strovles – Topolia – Voulgaro – Kasteli (the route is from Green and beautiful in the prefecture of Chania.Plemeniana, is a green and picturesque village with a few dozen inhabitants and many smaller settlements around.In the settlement of Kopetoi 1.5 km from Plemeniana to Strovles, there is the early Christian church of Agios Apostolos that was renovated Kakodiki The village of Kakodik, 65 km from Chania, on the road Chania – Tavronitis – Kantanos – Paleochora and has many Byzantine churches in different parts of the village. , is the Byzantine church of Michael the Archangel with a magnificent exterior decoration on the door, mural and an inscription of 1387. To reach it, you will go to the neighborhood of Kallithea from the road after Kakodiki and turn left, immediately after the village. The road leads you to the church of Michael the Archangel, which is located next to the large, newer church of the village. The priest has the key and his house is located 200 meters below the church, on the hill. Michael the Archangel, has 14th century frescoes and an incredibly carved altar. In a mural, there is a rare portrait of Michael the Archangel on horseback.