For the creation of all RaGiF’s (Routaki Audio Guide info Files) a lot of research has been done on all aspects of Crete. This resulted in at least 300,000 words of information divided over the different subjects. On this page you will find links to the pages where you can read the whole (or the basic) story for the information that is played to you in audio form when you drive or walk one of the Routaki routes.
Read more about the excavations around the village of Knossos.
Gortys was already a city in the Minoan age, but never really got the change to become important because it was overshadowed by the bigger city of Festos. Former Gortys was also one of the first city’s surrounded by walls.
The wall of laws are marble plaques that were attached between the piers. Plaques that were found in nature and the river. The text on the plaques describes one of the oldest written laws of Europe.
Prominent on Gortys is the fact that the information signs that hang at the foot of the statues are in Greek and Italian. This is because the excavations were, and still are, for the most part carried out by Italian archaeologists.
When you drive through the South terrain of the Gortys excavations you see on your left hand side, the temple of Apollo. Spread over the terrain lie the pilars to proof this. The temple was built in the 3rd and 2nd century BC.
The archaeologists started the excavations of the palace of Festos in 1900 under the guidance of sir Halbherr, but they did not reconstruct Festos the way Arthur Evans did with Knossos. Therefore the ruins are a lot more natural.
Gortys had its main days in the Roman period, when it was the capital city of Crete. It was a beautiful city. All building were decorated with real sized statues of emperors, philosophers and politicians.
Read more about Gortys and the nearby village of Agioi Deka.
The oil gained from the many olives on the island was already an important economical product for the Minoans. It was not only used for consumption, like it is today, but it was also the source of all lighting. Read more about the olive oil lamp.Near the beach of Kommos you find a nice little church, from there you have a nice view on a few things. In front the sandy beach itself with the excavations of Kommos. During the Minoan period Kommos was also a harbour of Phaistos. Read more about Kommmos, Timabaki and Agia Galini.In 1450 BC a heavy earthquake took place. The large, dark palaces were lit by many olive oil lamps. Due to the earthquake the lamps fell over and set the palaces on fire. Within no time everything went up in flames. Read more about the earthquake and the effects on the Minoan civilization.The villa of Agia Triada was a location of a administrative power that monitored the agricultural production of the area. Precious things were found, like the wonderfully shaped vases and grails. Famous is the sarcophagus with paintings about the Minoan death cult. Read more about the excavations of the villa of Agia Triada.In the Minoan age the cypress trees were used in the construction of palaces. The pillars in the palace of Knossos used to be from wood from this tree. The trunks were put upside down, so the broader part supported the roof construction.
Crete has an important role in mythology. Zeus was the father of the gods and was born on Crete. He also found his last resting place at the foot of the Jouchtas mountain, South of Herklion.
Read more about what happened on the island mentioned in mythology.
Available route where in you will drive through Cretan villages south of Heraklion:
Route 53 nicknamed; Knossos
In the VoiceMap app you’ll find this route under the name:
The treasures of Knossos unveiled: from Hersonissos through Archanes’ vineyards
