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5 FACTS ABOUT
HERAKLION
5 FACTS ABOUT HERAKLION
Heraklion - The capital of Crete. In the centre of northern Crete, young people , old people, families with children, everybody finds their way to this lively city, either to do their shopping, get work done at the offices, take a walk along the venetian port or drink coffee in one of the numerous cafes. Summer as well as winter the city had movement and a apart from a lot of different activities it also offers a lot of history.
1) Heraklion Basics
Heraklion - or as we call it "Iraklio" is the largest city in Crete and the fifth biggest in Greece, as well as the second most visited city in Greek tourism.
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2) Its architecture and culture has been formed by many different influences
From the moment of Heraklions foundation in the early Minoan Era (3500 to 2100 BC) the city has been influenced by the Arabs - when Crete was called "the Emirate of Crete", the Byzantine forces - in which time the city was burnt to the ground and then rebuilt, the Venetians - whose fortress is still one of the main highlights of the Heraklion Port and the Ottomans - in which the capital was moved away from Heraklion.
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3) Heraklion became the Capital of Crete in 1971
During the Ottoman Era (1645 and following), the capital of Crete was moved to Chania. It was only 58 years after the reincorporation of Crete into the Kingdom of Greece, that Heraklion took back its place as the Capital of Crete.
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4) Heraklion Port - A paradise for island hoppers
The port of Heraklion is an important harbour not only for supplying the island with neccesseties but also for island-hoppers. There are direct ferrys to Athens daily but also to Santorini, Rhodes, Naxos, Ios, Paros, Mykonos, Karpathos and many more.
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5) It's a paradise for museum lovers
There are 9 different museums in and around Heraklion making it a top destination for history lovers. Some of the museums are the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum, the Archeological Museum, Historical Museum, the Palace of Knossos and many more.