Makrys Gialos
Encyclopedia
Makry Gialos is a former municipality in Lasithi
, Crete
, Greece
, with a population 4,204 in 2001. It is located on the south-east coast of Crete. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ierapetra
, of which it is a municipal unit. The seat of the municipality was in Koutsouras
, 22 kilometers east of Ierapetra
. It was established in 1998 when the communities of Schinokapsala
, Orino, Stavrochori
, Chrisopigi, Aghios Stefanos, Pefki
, Lithines and Pervolakia amalgamated into one municipality (Δήμος).
The name Makry Gialos - or, alternatively, Makry-Gialos, Makrygialos, Makriyialos, or Makrigialos - is also specifically given both to a village and tourist
centre on the coast within the municipality, and to the nearby archaeological site of an ancient Minoan
country house.
island, Greece
.The area faces the Libyan Sea ( part of Mediterranean Sea
, which separates Crete from North Africa). The backdrop of the area is mountainous and made up primarily of granite. From the mountains there are small valleys and gorges leading down to the coast. On the higher slopes there is an abundance of Walnut, Apple, Pear and Olive trees. On the lower slopes the main industry is farming and olive trees.
Down below along the main coastal road, farming can also be found along with the greenhouses, in which most of the produce grown is tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, aubergines and bananas, which grow all year round. The sun and the rich soil give more taste to the fruit and vegetables, and the region has won the Gold Medal for the extra virgin olive oil (SITIA 0.03). The famous PDO SITIA xygalo cheese is also produced in the area of Sitia province. The morphology of the land presents beautiful landscapes, varying from place to place. Places with pine forest and wild oak trees, with granite nuggets and sharp rocks. Places with smooth hillsides with low bush land or orchards, and olive groves. The coastline that runs from Galini to Kalo Nero, is etched with rocky inlets, small coves and long sweeping stretches of sand and pebble beaches. The Bay of Makry Gialos boasts the longest shallow sandy beach of East Crete. Other beaches are Diaskari, Langada, Amoudi, Mavros Kolimbos
, Galini
, Koutsouras
; some of them are commercial beaches and some are deserted. Between the mountains there are dried up riverbeds, which are flowing down to the sea during the winter months.
The main industry today around Makrigialos is tourism, greenhouses and the harvesting of the olive trees. The Cretan dialect spoken in this region is near to ancient Greek.
The modern villages are built along the coastal road between Sitia
and Ierapetra
. On the boundary of the area are Achlia
, Mavros Kolimbos
, Koutsouras
, Makry-Gialos village, Analipsi, Lagada and Kalo Nero
with many apartments, studios and hotels.
There are gorges in the region. The Butterfly gorge in Koutsouras, Pefki gorge above the White River hamlet, and Pervolakia gorge which starts from the monastery Kapsa.
The highest peak is Afendis Stavromenos 1,500 metres (4,500 feet). The only possible way to reach the top is to walk or in a jeep 4 X 4. The summit affords views of Eastern Crete, Sitia
, Agios Nikolaos
, Elounda
, Ierapetra
and the surrounding islands of Chrissi and Koufonisi
, depending on the visibility. On this peak is the small windswept chapel of Jesus Cross. During the winter months the peak is covered with snow.
Other places nearby are Schinokapsala
, Orino, Stavrochori
, Bebonas, Chrisopigi, Lapithos
, Aghios Stefanos, Pefki
, Lithines, Upper and Lower Pervolakia. These feature stone built houses and narrow paved streets, along with ancient stonewashed houses. There are many small churches scattered around the hillside on the top of peaks, built in caves, and by the side of springs. These churches represent the predominant Orthodox religion.
Along the coast about 6 km from Makry Gialos, is the Monastery Kapsa, built on a sheer rock face, close to the spectacular Perivolakia Gorge which is believed to have been founded in the 15th century. In 1471 it was destroyed by pirates and abandoned. In 1841 it was renovated by Yerontoyannis a reformed robber who lived there as a hermit. He built the church and dedicated it to John the Baptist. Inside the chapel Yerontoyannis’ skull can be found. The monastery celebrates its feast day on 29 August.
The area often experiences strong winds, like most of the Greek Islands.
These winds are called "Meltemi
". They are strong northern winds, blowing mostly in January and February and in July and August. During the summer these winds help to keep the temperatures down and during the winter months they give clear and sunny days.
The area has a long summer, six to seven months, but not too hot. The winter is short and mild. Rainy days are few and a long time passes between them. The temperatures almost never go as low as six degrees.
country house. The site is located to the west of the village. Some of the artifacts which have been excavated can be found in the Archaeological Museum in Agios Nikolaos. The site was first excavated in 1973 and 1977 by Costas Davaras. The villa in Makriyialos was in use during Late Minoan IB
, and evidence indicates that it may have been used exclusively during this period. The building has a central court on the north-south axis. The area of the court is 6m x 12.5m, which is exactly four times smaller than the courts of the Minoan palaces at Phaistos
, Malia, Knossos
and Zakros
.
Suggestions that the building was a "cult villa," similar to those of Nirou, Amnisos
, Kannia
and Vathypetro
have not been proven. The finds at Makriyialos site were not as rich as those at the other cult villa sites but it is believed that they nevertheless support a view that the building is a "cult villa". The building itself, which was badly damaged by crops and livestock, dates to around 500-1400 BC. The house has unique architecture and bears some resemblance to Minoan palaces seen at that time. The house contains a central small rectangular court, contributing to the building's uniqueness.
Two columns on the north side and northern east side strike similarities to Malia, where alternating pillars are found at exactly the same side. The site of Phaistos also denotes two columnar supports on the north and northern east side as well. A large altar can be found in the northern end of the court. In Zakros, we also see a similar placement of the altar. Facing the altar is the large bench which was almost certainly used in the ceremonies that took place in the court. Such benches have also been found at Malia and Phaistos.
Lasithi
Lasithi is the easternmost regional unit on the island of Crete, to the east of Heraklion. Its capital is Agios Nikolaos, the other major towns being Ierapetra, Sitia and Neapoli. The mountains include the Dikte to the west and the Sitia Mountains to the east...
, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, with a population 4,204 in 2001. It is located on the south-east coast of Crete. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ierapetra
Ierapetra
Ierapetra is a town in the southeast of the Greek island of Crete and a municipality of Crete region.-History:The town of Ierapetra is located on the southeast coast of Crete, along the beach of Ierapetra Bay. It lies south of Agios Nikolaos and southwest of Sitia and is an important regional...
, of which it is a municipal unit. The seat of the municipality was in Koutsouras
Koutsouras
Koutsouras is a village in Lasithi prefecture, in Crete, Greece 22 kilometers east of Ierapetra. Its population is 818 It was the headquarters of the municipality of Makry Gialos and is the biggest village in the region. Key industries include agriculture and tourism...
, 22 kilometers east of Ierapetra
Ierapetra
Ierapetra is a town in the southeast of the Greek island of Crete and a municipality of Crete region.-History:The town of Ierapetra is located on the southeast coast of Crete, along the beach of Ierapetra Bay. It lies south of Agios Nikolaos and southwest of Sitia and is an important regional...
. It was established in 1998 when the communities of Schinokapsala
Schinokapsala
Schinokapsala is a small village in Lasithi prefecture on Crete. It is situated 21 kilometers north-east from Ierapetra and 6 from the sea...
, Orino, Stavrochori
Stavrochori, Lasithi
Stavrochori is a historic village of eastern Crete. It belonged to the former province of Sitia and later to the former Makry Gialos municipality. Today it is part of Ierapetra municipality. It is located in a wooded valley, 29 kilometers north east from Ierapetra and 35 kilometers southwest from...
, Chrisopigi, Aghios Stefanos, Pefki
Pefki
Pefki , is a suburb in the northeastern area of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lykovrysi-Pefki, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.-Geography:...
, Lithines and Pervolakia amalgamated into one municipality (Δήμος).
The name Makry Gialos - or, alternatively, Makry-Gialos, Makrygialos, Makriyialos, or Makrigialos - is also specifically given both to a village and tourist
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
centre on the coast within the municipality, and to the nearby archaeological site of an ancient Minoan
Minoan civilization
The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that arose on the island of Crete and flourished from approximately the 27th century BC to the 15th century BC. It was rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century through the work of the British archaeologist Arthur Evans...
country house.
Geography
Makry Gialos region lies on the southeast coast of CreteCrete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
island, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.The area faces the Libyan Sea ( part of Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, which separates Crete from North Africa). The backdrop of the area is mountainous and made up primarily of granite. From the mountains there are small valleys and gorges leading down to the coast. On the higher slopes there is an abundance of Walnut, Apple, Pear and Olive trees. On the lower slopes the main industry is farming and olive trees.
Down below along the main coastal road, farming can also be found along with the greenhouses, in which most of the produce grown is tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, aubergines and bananas, which grow all year round. The sun and the rich soil give more taste to the fruit and vegetables, and the region has won the Gold Medal for the extra virgin olive oil (SITIA 0.03). The famous PDO SITIA xygalo cheese is also produced in the area of Sitia province. The morphology of the land presents beautiful landscapes, varying from place to place. Places with pine forest and wild oak trees, with granite nuggets and sharp rocks. Places with smooth hillsides with low bush land or orchards, and olive groves. The coastline that runs from Galini to Kalo Nero, is etched with rocky inlets, small coves and long sweeping stretches of sand and pebble beaches. The Bay of Makry Gialos boasts the longest shallow sandy beach of East Crete. Other beaches are Diaskari, Langada, Amoudi, Mavros Kolimbos
Mavros Kolimbos
Mavros Kolimbos is a seaside settlement 18 kilometres east of the town of Ierapetra in Lasithi district on the island of Crete. It is part of Ierapetra municipality....
, Galini
Galini
Galini is a village 15 kilometers east of Ierapetra. It is part of Ierapetra municipality on the island of Crete, Greece....
, Koutsouras
Koutsouras
Koutsouras is a village in Lasithi prefecture, in Crete, Greece 22 kilometers east of Ierapetra. Its population is 818 It was the headquarters of the municipality of Makry Gialos and is the biggest village in the region. Key industries include agriculture and tourism...
; some of them are commercial beaches and some are deserted. Between the mountains there are dried up riverbeds, which are flowing down to the sea during the winter months.
Demographics
The population of the area is approximately 4,200. Before the introduction of tourism and greenhouses, the life revolved mainly up in the villages, which you find nestled in the mountains. A lot of them are not visible from the sea, for this reason they were safe from pirates. Back in the early days the main work for the villagers was farming or tending their flocks on the higher peaks. Today, life revolves around the coast. People have come down from the villages to the coast to live, as there is more work in the towns and resorts. The older generations still live up in the villages along with their history and old stories. Also foreigners who have bought old houses, using them as holiday homes are settling in the old charming villages.The main industry today around Makrigialos is tourism, greenhouses and the harvesting of the olive trees. The Cretan dialect spoken in this region is near to ancient Greek.
The modern villages are built along the coastal road between Sitia
Sitia
Sitia refers both to the port town, with 8,900 inhabitants and to the municipality with 19,209 inhabitants in Lasithi, Crete . It lies to the east of Agios Nikolaos and to the northeast of Ierapetra. Sitia port is on the Sea of Crete, which is a part of the Aegean Sea and is one of the economic...
and Ierapetra
Ierapetra
Ierapetra is a town in the southeast of the Greek island of Crete and a municipality of Crete region.-History:The town of Ierapetra is located on the southeast coast of Crete, along the beach of Ierapetra Bay. It lies south of Agios Nikolaos and southwest of Sitia and is an important regional...
. On the boundary of the area are Achlia
Achlia
Achlia is a settlement on the beaches of Crete, 16 kilometers east of Ierapetra. It is part of Ierapetra municipality....
, Mavros Kolimbos
Mavros Kolimbos
Mavros Kolimbos is a seaside settlement 18 kilometres east of the town of Ierapetra in Lasithi district on the island of Crete. It is part of Ierapetra municipality....
, Koutsouras
Koutsouras
Koutsouras is a village in Lasithi prefecture, in Crete, Greece 22 kilometers east of Ierapetra. Its population is 818 It was the headquarters of the municipality of Makry Gialos and is the biggest village in the region. Key industries include agriculture and tourism...
, Makry-Gialos village, Analipsi, Lagada and Kalo Nero
Kalo Nero
Kalo Nero means good water, a village and a municipal district, belongs to the Avlona municipality, although it is very close to Kyparissia, 5 km...
with many apartments, studios and hotels.
There are gorges in the region. The Butterfly gorge in Koutsouras, Pefki gorge above the White River hamlet, and Pervolakia gorge which starts from the monastery Kapsa.
The highest peak is Afendis Stavromenos 1,500 metres (4,500 feet). The only possible way to reach the top is to walk or in a jeep 4 X 4. The summit affords views of Eastern Crete, Sitia
Sitia
Sitia refers both to the port town, with 8,900 inhabitants and to the municipality with 19,209 inhabitants in Lasithi, Crete . It lies to the east of Agios Nikolaos and to the northeast of Ierapetra. Sitia port is on the Sea of Crete, which is a part of the Aegean Sea and is one of the economic...
, Agios Nikolaos
Agios Nikolaos, Crete
Agios Nikolaos is a coastal town on the Greek island of Crete, lying east of the island's capital Heraklion, north of the town of Ierapetra and west of the town of Sitia. In the year 2000, the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos, which takes in part of the surrounding villages, claimed around 19,000...
, Elounda
Elounda
Elounda , alternative transliterations Elounta or Elouda, is a small fishing town on the northern coast of the island of Crete, Greece...
, Ierapetra
Ierapetra
Ierapetra is a town in the southeast of the Greek island of Crete and a municipality of Crete region.-History:The town of Ierapetra is located on the southeast coast of Crete, along the beach of Ierapetra Bay. It lies south of Agios Nikolaos and southwest of Sitia and is an important regional...
and the surrounding islands of Chrissi and Koufonisi
Koufonisi
Koufonisia is a former community in the Cyclades, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Naxos and Lesser Cyclades, of which it is a municipal unit. It consists of three main islands.-History:...
, depending on the visibility. On this peak is the small windswept chapel of Jesus Cross. During the winter months the peak is covered with snow.
Other places nearby are Schinokapsala
Schinokapsala
Schinokapsala is a small village in Lasithi prefecture on Crete. It is situated 21 kilometers north-east from Ierapetra and 6 from the sea...
, Orino, Stavrochori
Stavrochori, Lasithi
Stavrochori is a historic village of eastern Crete. It belonged to the former province of Sitia and later to the former Makry Gialos municipality. Today it is part of Ierapetra municipality. It is located in a wooded valley, 29 kilometers north east from Ierapetra and 35 kilometers southwest from...
, Bebonas, Chrisopigi, Lapithos
Lapithos
Lapithos or Lapethos is a town of Kyrenia District on the northern coast of Cyprus. According to Strabo, the settlement was founded by Spartans. In Assyrian inscriptions, Lapithos is mentioned as one of the eleven Cypriot kingdoms. During the Persian rule, Lapithos was settled by Phoenicians...
, Aghios Stefanos, Pefki
Pefki
Pefki , is a suburb in the northeastern area of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lykovrysi-Pefki, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.-Geography:...
, Lithines, Upper and Lower Pervolakia. These feature stone built houses and narrow paved streets, along with ancient stonewashed houses. There are many small churches scattered around the hillside on the top of peaks, built in caves, and by the side of springs. These churches represent the predominant Orthodox religion.
Along the coast about 6 km from Makry Gialos, is the Monastery Kapsa, built on a sheer rock face, close to the spectacular Perivolakia Gorge which is believed to have been founded in the 15th century. In 1471 it was destroyed by pirates and abandoned. In 1841 it was renovated by Yerontoyannis a reformed robber who lived there as a hermit. He built the church and dedicated it to John the Baptist. Inside the chapel Yerontoyannis’ skull can be found. The monastery celebrates its feast day on 29 August.
The area often experiences strong winds, like most of the Greek Islands.
These winds are called "Meltemi
Meltemi
Meltemi commonly refers to:* Meltemi , for mobile devices* Etesian, for winds...
". They are strong northern winds, blowing mostly in January and February and in July and August. During the summer these winds help to keep the temperatures down and during the winter months they give clear and sunny days.
The area has a long summer, six to seven months, but not too hot. The winter is short and mild. Rainy days are few and a long time passes between them. The temperatures almost never go as low as six degrees.
Archaeological site
Makry Gialos features the archaeological site of an ancient MinoanMinoan civilization
The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that arose on the island of Crete and flourished from approximately the 27th century BC to the 15th century BC. It was rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century through the work of the British archaeologist Arthur Evans...
country house. The site is located to the west of the village. Some of the artifacts which have been excavated can be found in the Archaeological Museum in Agios Nikolaos. The site was first excavated in 1973 and 1977 by Costas Davaras. The villa in Makriyialos was in use during Late Minoan IB
Minoan pottery
Minoan pottery is more than a useful tool for dating the mute Minoan civilization. Its restless sequence of rapidly maturing artistic styles reveal something of Minoan patrons' pleasure in novelty while they assist archaeologists to assign relative dates to the strata of their sites...
, and evidence indicates that it may have been used exclusively during this period. The building has a central court on the north-south axis. The area of the court is 6m x 12.5m, which is exactly four times smaller than the courts of the Minoan palaces at Phaistos
Phaistos
Phaistos , also transliterated as Phaestos, Festos and Phaestus is an ancient city on the island of Crete. Phaistos was located in the south-central portion of the island, about 5.6 kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea. It was inhabited from about 4000 BC. A palace, dating from the Middle Bronze...
, Malia, Knossos
Knossos
Knossos , also known as Labyrinth, or Knossos Palace, is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and probably the ceremonial and political centre of the Minoan civilization and culture. The palace appears as a maze of workrooms, living spaces, and store rooms close to a central square...
and Zakros
Zakros
Zakros is a site on the eastern coast of the island of Crete, Greece, containing ruins from the Minoan civilization. The site is often known to archaeologists as Zakro or Kato Zakro...
.
Suggestions that the building was a "cult villa," similar to those of Nirou, Amnisos
Amnisos
Amnisos, also Amnissos and Amnisus, is a Bronze Age settlement on the north shore of Crete used as a port to the palace city of Knossos. It appears in Greek literature and mythology from the earliest times, but its origin is far earlier, in prehistory. The historic settlement belonged to a...
, Kannia
Kannia
Kannia was an ancient Minoan city close to Gortyn in south-central Crete....
and Vathypetro
Vathypetro
Vathypetro is an archaeological site, four kilometres south of the town of Archanes on Crete . It contains some of the oldest wine presses in the world. Excavations began in 1949 by the Greek archaeologist Spyridon Marinatos. The estate contains a manor house or villa which had a prominent role in...
have not been proven. The finds at Makriyialos site were not as rich as those at the other cult villa sites but it is believed that they nevertheless support a view that the building is a "cult villa". The building itself, which was badly damaged by crops and livestock, dates to around 500-1400 BC. The house has unique architecture and bears some resemblance to Minoan palaces seen at that time. The house contains a central small rectangular court, contributing to the building's uniqueness.
Two columns on the north side and northern east side strike similarities to Malia, where alternating pillars are found at exactly the same side. The site of Phaistos also denotes two columnar supports on the north and northern east side as well. A large altar can be found in the northern end of the court. In Zakros, we also see a similar placement of the altar. Facing the altar is the large bench which was almost certainly used in the ceremonies that took place in the court. Such benches have also been found at Malia and Phaistos.