General Information of the Municipal Unit of Mousouron

Alikianos
The settlement of Alikianos is located in the verdant valley of the river Keritis. Remarkable is the stone bridge of the river Keritis (or Yardanos as Homer mentions it), which was built by the inhabitants of the area in 1908 and connects the plain settlements with each other. Within the settlement, part of the wall of the tower of the Venetian Da Molin family is preserved. Da Molin was a Venetian ruler who ruled the village during the years of Venetian rule. Legend has it that a heinous crime took place during the marriage of Da Molin’s daughter to the son of the revolutionary George Cantaleontas. The Venetian lord did not agree to this marriage. So, after putting a hypnotic in the wine, he hanged all the members of the Cantaleonda family. An important monument of Byzantine times is the Byzantine church of Agios Georgios in Alikianos, built in 1243 AD. On the borders with the settlement of Koufos is the church of Zoodochos Pigi or Ai-Kyrgiannis the Stranger, which bears remarkable frescoes. The settlement of Alikianos, had been characterized in the past as preserved, because it preserved elements of traditional architecture. Later, it was built from modern buildings, but there are still the old traditional buildings, which testify to the historicity of the area.

Vatolakos
Vatolakkos is only 2 km away from Alikianos and is characterized by the special residential environment with the old abandoned stone houses. The semi-mountainous settlement of Skonizo, has rich vegetation and wonderful views of the plain of the river Keritis and its tributaries. In Vatolakko is organized every year the carnival, where the citizens gather for the celebration of Lent. There is also a moto-cross track, where every year there are races with the participation of those interested from all over Crete.

Karanou
Karanou is a mountainous settlement with rich vegetation and an interesting residential environment. The activities of the inhabitants are an important effort for the retention of the population in the mountainous area. The natural environment is characterized by the two parallel gorges that end at the Mavropilioti river. One is the gorge of Boriana that starts from the settlement Boriana and ends at the Mavropiliotis river, after 1,800 meters. Along there are a demolished watermill, caves, the entrances to the old quarries from the iron mining attempt (known in the area as the Averoff quarries), the representation of a kiln where coal used to be produced, and galleries of lush vegetation. Along the route of the gorge of Kidoni we find caves, three small waterfalls, the church of Agios Dimitrios, and the church of Panagia Mousourena. The length of the gorge is 2,000 meters and is crossed by a river of periodic flow, which has water from December to June. About 100 meters before the mouth of the Mavropiliotis river, there is a connection with a path that leads to the settlement of Skordalos. The Karanou Women’s Cooperative “I Agrotissa” operates in Karanou, which deals with the preparation and packaging of traditional products (food, sweets, aromatic plants), which are sold either at the place of production or at exhibitions of traditional products. Every summer, the cherry festival is organized with the participation of the local population. The arrival of the population from the wider area, has successfully supported the effort to preserve the traditions.

Archaeological – Historical – Religious Sites in Karanou:
Church of the Virgin 9th century
It is a small church that has three frescoes inside. Entering on the right, Saint George is depicted on a horse. On the opposite wall, there is a text in Byzantine script. In the sanctuary of the church, the Virgin Mary is depicted. It is said that there were frescoes all over the interior, but they were whitewashed by the inhabitants, in order to avoid the indecency of the Turks on the images. Church of St. Demetriou 12th century It has many frescoes inside, but they need maintenance. Cave of martyrdom for 28 women and children In 1866, two battles were fought against the Turks, in the months of September and November.

Koufos
The settlement of Koufos is 2 km from the seat of the municipality. It is overgrown mainly with orange groves and olive groves. From the abandoned settlement of Mouri of the municipality of Koufos, you can see the plain of Keritis, as well as part of the city of Chania. The springs that gush in Koufos, have a permanent supply and are used for water supply and irrigation of the wider area.

Lakoi
The municipal district of Lakka has three settlements of Lakka, Askordalos and Omalos. Lakki is of interest from a residential and environmental point of view. Built on the slope of the mountain, most of the houses are traditional but the newly built ones usually follow the residential environment. The cypress forest located on the slope below the settlement, is crossed by a path that leads to the top of the hill. The churches in D.D. Lakkon is of Ag. Antoniou, of Ag. Georgiou and in Askordalos of Ag. John. Every year there are two festivals in the area. a) In the Pits of Agios Antonios on January 17 b) In Askordalos of Ag. Ioannis on August 29 The settlement of Askordalos is located at a lower altitude and is connected by paths with the settlements of Lakki, Karanos and Fournes through bushy and forested areas. The settlement of Omalos is located on the plateau at an altitude of 1050 meters. From there began the historic “Strata ton Mousouron” sung in the radical songs, which used to connect the plateau of Omalos with the city of Chania. From the edge of the plateau begins the Cave of Tzanis or Katavothra or Chonos (length ,5 2.5Km), which has aroused the interest of many foreign travelers since 1865 and speleological groups of various nationalities, who explore it with organized expeditions since 1961 It was named after the legendary chief of the Laks, Marco Tzanis or Fovo (Tzanomarkos). He was distinguished for his struggles against the Venetians at the end of the 17th century and against the Turks later. After the conquest of Crete by the Turks, he took refuge on the islet of Souda and from there he set out, killing the savages of Giannitsa and inspiring fear in the rest, hence his address as Fear. In the wider area there is rich forest vegetation of cypresses, maples, the endemic tree species Ampelitsia (Zelkova abelicea) etc. as well as semi-shrubs and some endemics of Crete. After the plateau of Omalos is Xyloskalo, which is the entrance of the National Park of the White Mountains (Samaria Gorge). The Cretan chamois or wild boar (Capra aegagrus cretica) is found in the wider area and in the national park.

Meskla
The archeological findings of the excavations, but also the architectural and cultural heritage of other historical periods prove that the area has been inhabited continuously since prehistoric times. A short distance from the village of Meskla are preserved parts of the fortification of ancient Rizinia. The natural environment with the caves, gorges and springs that supply water to the Prefecture of Chania is also remarkable. Zourva is a beautiful mountain settlement of d.d. Mesklon in the province of Kydonia and is 5 km from Meskla. Built at an altitude of 570 m. And at the root of rugged but overgrown with cypress cliffs of the White Mountains, it has few inhabitants today and belongs to the Municipality of Mousouron.

Vrysi
An underground river in the White Mountains VRISI is a rugged gorge in the place of gorges and caves, in Chania. Its passage takes place either through the Kallergi shelter, from Omalos, or from the village of Zourva. Inside this gorge there is a cave with an underground river, Vrysi, from which it got its name and the gorge. The first exploration was attempted in the years 1985 and 1986, by a mission of Italian students who made an educational excursion-mission and proceeded to the underground river exploring its two galleries, up to a distance of about 350 meters from each entrance. On September 15, 2001 a group of young speleologists (from the Speleological Group of Chania and the Speleological Club of Crete), spent the night at the entrance of the cave and the next day, wearing diving suits for protection from water and cold, reached the accessible end of the cave of the underground river after a few hours, spending most of the time in the river. They reached the same places as the Italians. According to the description, after a journey of about 150 meters, the cave is divided and proceeds with two galleries, both of which are crossed by a small river. The left one, after about 60 m., Continues with a narrow and low meander where the speleologists go into the water and sometimes crawling in a gallery of 0.50 m. The right gallery also goes more than a hundred meters. The total length of the route inside the cave, as the Italians reported, is 700 meters. There is wonderful natural decoration from stalactites, especially in the first apartments, and the continuous small ponds-troughs, some with a sufficient amount of water, in combination with the decoration make the space of the cave spectacular. There are very narrow points but also wider up to 10 m. And apart from the very narrow points the height of the roof ranges from 4-6 meters. The last explorers are planning another entrance to Vrisi to map it, but also to try to pass through existing very narrow passages, so it is possible to have surprises in terms of the length of the cave, since the underground river must have its sources very higher and in some huge underground tank.

THE HOLE OF TSIROPORGI
An uphill path between the cypress trees brings us south, to the beautiful location of Kissonero where there is an old Mitatos and three natural monuments, three centuries old, huge in volume and height, plane trees. The hike there takes about 1.15 hours but seven minutes before Kissonero is the cave “Tou Tsirogiorgi i Trypa”. It has two entrances at an altitude of about 1,000 meters. The first is narrow, difficult to locate, and behind it, after about 20 meters, is the other, which on the floor is full of animal bones. Its general shape is approximately circular and is a bit labyrinthine with a wonderful decoration of stalactites, stalagmites and columns, which have started to erode after they have “dried”. In some of the stalagmites, plant roots have penetrated from the surface suspended into the roof like ropes or ribbons. At its central point there is a descent of about 12 meters and you need an auxiliary rope to reach its bottom, full of mud, where it seems that the rainy waters end in winter. On the west side of the cave, a small beautiful room opens. In this cave during the Turkish occupation, a prominent Sfakian had taken refuge and was hiding who had disagreed with his fellow countrymen. Also a few years ago, twenty villagers in the area tried to explore it with burning branches but were in danger of suffocating from the smoke of these branches. In a chamber were found 2-3 skulls and bones from wild 80 years old, as estimated. Southwest of the village of Zourva, Kydonia, there is a cavern called “Telonotripa”. Legends about customs and newer stories have to do with this abyss. During the German occupation in its first and second loft, allied soldiers and guerrillas were hiding and when I visited it years ago there was still the wire where they spread their clothes for drying or where they had the antenna of their radio. The descent inside needs an auxiliary rope. In the abyss of Vulisma, the Mesklian guerrillas threw on the New Year of 1944 some of the Sumberians who had been sent by the Germans to beat them when they were coming down from Madares to celebrate with their families. Some Sumerians were, unfortunately, Cretans, from a village in Heraklion who were dressed in German uniforms and belonged to the special corps organized by Sergeant Schubert. The gorge of Sarakina starts from Zourva and ends in Meskla where the gates of the gorge are located with a height of about 15 m and a width of about 1.5 m. The vegetation is rich and the formations and caves are special.

Prases
Prases is a mountainous municipal district of D. Mousouron at an altitude of about 550 meters with three settlements, Prase, Hosti and Nea Roumata. It is 35 km away from the city of Chania and we meet it on the route Chania – Sougia. It is a fertile mountain village. The main products it produces are chestnuts and oil. Characteristic of the village is the green that it has due to the very large variety of different trees that we encounter in our passage. As we enter the village for the first time we face the small gorge, which is surrounded by a beautiful pine forest. The houses of the village are scattered over a large area. First we meet the square with 3 traditional cafes that serve food. Going to the opposite side of the village we meet the small river that crosses the village at the ends of which rise huge plane trees. Next to the river there is an old stone watermill. Going along the small roads that lead to the neighborhoods of the village we will meet very beautiful landscapes that every nature lover deserves to admire up close. Opposite the village there is the old neighborhood Askidia with the wonderful pine forest. There is also the Byzantine Church of Agios Georgios with frescoes. Every year in October a chestnut festival is organized by the Cultural Association of the village and all the inhabitants. The celebration is a traditional feast with traditional food and plenty of chestnuts served in 7 different ways. In the feast of the chestnut, the feeling of the Cretan tradition and hospitality that it possesses to the inhabitants of the village becomes evident. In the valley of Fasa there is an endangered species of butterfly plant Woodwardia radicans.

Sempronas
Sempronas is a mountain village in the middle of the route from Chania to Sougia about 35 km from Chania and at an altitude of 640 m. Today it has about 100 inhabitants, the houses are scattered in neighborhoods, in a small basin, full of greenery, mainly from Chestnut trees, plane trees etc. It has many natural resources. The waters are collected in a ravine (a small gorge) and end up in Voukolies. This river is full of vegetation, it has water all summer. There are trout and eels in the river. There are three churches in Sempron. 1) A small church in the neighborhood of Bomboliana of the 14th or 15th century with frescoes of Agios Ioannis. 2) Another chapel on the mountain Apopigadi at an altitude of 1000 meters in a beautiful landscape, of Ag. Ioannou built in 1873. This place communicates with Sempronas by carriage road (6 km.) 3) The Central Church of Ag. Georgiou in the center of the village built in 1910. There are cafes-restaurants on the main street that offer food at all hours. It communicates by dirt road with Palea Roumata and Voukolies.