General Information of the Municipal Unit of Kolymvari

The religious tradition of the area is also great, as in the territory of the Municipal unit there are scattered important temples from many periods of the history of civilization. The monastery of Gonia dates from 1634 AD, while the ancient Diktynna, at the end of the cape of Spatha, was a temple of the Cretan deity of hunting. Also noteworthy is the “Rotunda” which is the only Byzantine church in Greece since the time of Justinian and the cave of St. John in Marathokefala. Finally, an area of ​​special natural beauty and importance for the Municipal Unit is the three-kilometer-long gorge of Deliana that starts from the location Prodromos of the village Deliana, but also the existence in the village Vouves, the oldest olive tree in the world, with the branches of which were crowned the Olympic marathon runners at the recent Athens Olympic Games.

MARINE RICH MUSEUM OF FISHERIES TRADE The Museum of Maritime Wealth and Fisheries Tradition (Fisheries Museum) was born in 2000 by ALMA SA, a grassroots development company with main shareholders in the Prefecture, ordinary people in the area and other actors. Its work began in 2001 and its operation began in 2005. The investment of the Museum was included in the Pesca operational program of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Department of Fisheries. It is housed in a modern building in Kolymvari, Kydonia, which has a tradition in the field of fisheries. In the areas one can admire fishing boats, ancient anchors, harpoons, firecrackers and other tools of fishermen as well as a rich collection of fish, shells, corals, sponges, echinoderms and other marine organisms. The purpose of the Museum is to keep alive the memory of our fishing tradition and to highlight the richness of the Greek seabed through its exhibits and collections. Along with holding various events and activities (such as photo exhibitions, lectures, etc.) in the multipurpose hall and in the stone outdoor amphitheater, it offers learning, information and entertainment. Source: newspaper “Haniotika Nea” sheet number 12456, May 17, 2008.

Vassilopoulos The village of Vassilopoulos, is a beautiful picturesque village and is 10 minutes drive from the center of Kolymvari. Around it, there are green slopes, while in the neighboring village of Nochia, you will find a mini market and a cafe-tavern. Afrata The picturesque village of Afrata, 28 km from the city of Chania, in the wider area of ​​Kolymvari, The unique combination of mountain and sea, leaves the visitor the freedom to use his stay as he wishes. Or relaxing on the beach of the natural bay “Halikia” which is only 800m. from the village, either exploring Cape Spatha, hiking or cycling. In the traditional cafes and canteen by the sea, close to the ordinary people of the village who still remain faithful to the tradition, customs and traditions of Crete, you have the opportunity to get to know the rural way of life, as well as to taste the pure traditional products (honey, wine, meat, tsikoudia, oil, olives, rusks, dairy). Episkopi The Diocese of Kissamos is located south of Kolimbari and is 32 km from Chania on the road Chania – Kolimbari – Spilia – Episkopi and has one of the most impressive Byzantine episcopal churches in Crete. Panethimos Panethimos is a beautiful semi-mountainous village in the prefecture of Chania. It is 44 km from the city of Chania and about 14 km from Kolymvari. His trademark is the beautiful square of the village surrounded by plane trees and other trees. In the same square there is a traditional spring with running water, all year round, while next to the square there is a stream with a small waterfall. All this in combination with the cistern and the laundry that are preserved in excellent condition, were the center of life for the daily life of the inhabitants since from there they took water for the houses, from there the animals drank water, there they washed clothes etc. . and from there they watered their crops. Panethimos has a rich history, since in the past it was the capital of the homonymous municipality. The village consists of neighborhoods that communicate with each other with beautiful and picturesque alleys. In Panethimos, according to historical data, there was a church or monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary with the nickname Panagia the Famous. It was a well-known pilgrimage, with a lot of traffic and had a good reputation everywhere. Hence the surname PANEFIMOS. From this adjective comes the name of the village only that over the years it became PANETHIMOS. This church or monastery no longer exists but in the same place there is the church of the Assumption of the Virgin. In Panethimos, again according to historical data but also testimonies of the inhabitants who passed from generation to generation, there were four churches which formed the shape of a cross to protect the village from diseases, etc. To the east, I.N. Metamorphosis of the Savior (6/8) and Agios Spyridonas (12/12), West of I.N. Assumption of the Virgin, North I.N. Michael Archangelou (6/9), South I.N. Agioi Anargyroi. There are the first three of them, while the last one is in the process of being built by the parish of Panethimos. To reach Panethimos, follow the route: National Road in the direction of Kissamos (Kastelli), exit from the Kolymvari junction in the left direction to Spilia, Drakona, Episkopi (does not turn anywhere), Astrikas In Astrika it has two options: A. either it turns left from the intersection Krya Vrysi – Panethimos and B. or it goes straight for Deliana and from Deliana it turns left again for Panethimos. Nochia Traveling from Chania to Kastelli (Kissamos) from the old national road we cross a series of coastal villages until we reach Kolimbari, where now the road leaves the gloomy coastal villages and begins to ascend inland to the semi-mountainous and mountainous villages of the Municipality of Kolymvari. Leaving on our right the crossroads for the mountainous Rodopou, the pilgrimage of Giona and the archeological site of Diktynna, we meet on our left going up to Kalydonia, the crossroads for the small village of Veni and on our right the crossroads for Ravdouha. Crossing Caledonia, we move south. After 2 km on our left, we see in the background on the slope the houses of Nochia, we continue for another 1,000 meters and we meet the crossroads for our village. NOHIA, once the seat of the community of Nochia (Nochia-Plakalonas) today belongs to the municipality of Kolymvari So far we have traveled 29 km from the city of Chania, 6 km from the headquarters of our municipality Kolimbari, and we want 14 for Kastelli ( Kissamos). For the etymology of the name of the village, there are different views and different sources. The first comes from the French archaeologist Paul Four, who claims that it is a synergy (grammatical phenomenon of eliminating the gap between two words).
The etymology, believes Paul For, is related to the Cretan word viper, as we say in Crete the snake echidna and the ni (N) was added with the addition of the article to the viper in Noxia. The second, and in our humble opinion more realistic and more scientific, is that where present-day Nochia is located, there was an ancient settlement or city, named INACHIA, NOCHIA and Nochia is a corruption of that word. “Inachia” were worship festivals of Dionysian character that took place in honor of the deity of Greek Mythology “INOUS” also known as LEFKOTHEAS in this area. The area of ​​NOCHION has a lot of groundwater, there is no field and house that did not have its well, there were also two springs in two parts of the village “Panagia” and “the mill the fountain”. The old people will remember better because with them they watered gardens, animals, filled their laina, did their laundry. There are over 60 wells in NOHIA “the deep well”, “the two wells”, “the magatzes”, “the only well” so to remember the most famous. In the areas around NOHIA we do not find areas with so much water and therefore we can conclude that our ancient ancestors, wisely thinking, created a settlement in the area of ​​NOHIA. According to their philosophy that deified everything, they honored the goddess Ino or Lefkothea as the goddess of the seas and rivers, in whose honor the feast of “the beginnings of nature & the fruits” was held under the name “Inachia”. Nochia has become known as a famous old village and traditional pottery village. Other products are oil, wine, honey, village products, almonds, oranges and livestock products. Even the famous Nohian rusks, special taste sweet rusks etc. Deliana Deliana is 37 km from Chania. Take the road from Chania to Kastelli and turn south from Nopigia, 30 km from Chania or you can continue from Roka on an easy dirt road, turn left at Trialonia and continue towards Deliana. In the village of Deliana, in Prodromos, is the Byzantine church of Agios Ioannis. Rodopou From here begins a long impassable road to Diktina and a smaller one that leads to the Monastery of Agios Ioannis Gionis (Gyrologist). The houses have traditional architecture with strong Venetian influences. Zymbragou or Zymbragou Zymbragou is a semi-mountainous village in the municipality of Kolimbari in the prefecture of Chania. It had 127 inhabitants in the 2001 census and about 50 permanent residents. Its area is 3826 acres. It is located at an altitude of 350 meters. It is a rural area with significant olive oil production. It is about 35 km from the capital of the prefecture and has an amphitheater position above the valley of Tavronitis. Zymbragou is adjacent to the north with the village of Voukolies, which is the capital of the municipality of Voukolies. It is also adjacent to the villages of Dromonero, Anoskeli, Fotakado, Palea Roumata, Kefala. The main church is of Agios Georgios.