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The history - The monuments
Here, according to the ancient myth, Zeus disguised as a bull, crossed over the river Litheos and transferred Europe to the island of Crete, ending up to ancient Gortina. Here is the Labyrinth. The cave with the rambling bowels, where Minotaur was hidden. Since the prehistoric era, the significant Minoan centers flourished in the area of Kamares, Faistos, Agia Triada and Kommos. Even the names Panasos, Gergeri, Nivritos and Zaros are ancient Greek. During the Classical and Roman times, Gortina was the island’s center of political and economic life. After the predominance of Christianity many significant ascetic figures were distinguished. Agios Methodios was one of them. During adverse days the people of the area resisted vigorously for the freedom of the island. During the Turkish invasion the caves of the area offered a hideaway to the rebellious insurgents of the mountains (Also known as “Chainides”). From this area there were distinguished many figures for their fight against the Turks. The area of Amourgeles and the Monastery of Vrondisi played a very important part in this fight. During the Second World War the people of the area paid with their lives their fight against the war. Incidents such as the battle in Trachili, the holocaust of Vorizia and the execution of 25 men from Gergeri and Nivritos are of upmost historical importance. The visitor can visit the cave of Kamares, where the well known vessels of Kamares were found. The Labyrinth and the Small Labyrinth near the ancient Gortina are the two artificial caves with historical and archeological interest. At the Monastery of Vrondisi and the Monastery of Varsamonero worked famous hagiographers of the Cretan Renaissance such as Aggelos and Michael Damaskinos. According to tradition, the Monastery of Agios Nikolaos was build at the site of the ancient temple of God Poseidon. Agios Methodios of Nivritos lived in one of the area’s caves, while in the same village, Agios Nikolaos of the Kourtaliotis River lived as a pillar saint in the hermitage of Agios Efthimios. Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches adorn every village of Pano Riza in Psiloritis. The church of Christ in Gergeri consists a remarkable monument of the Venetian era from the Order of the Kisterkian monks from the early 13th century until the middle of the 14th century. Folk architecture is interesting in all its expressions. In the amphitheatrically built dorps, the rock built humble arched houses compete with the imposing two storey residences with the elaborate door cases and arced arches with Venetian elements. As an example we refer the Venetian buildings of Raftis, while the architecture in the Panagia dorp at the south part of Zaros is of particular interest. The water mills of Gergeris and Zaros were for centuries the centers of economic and social life. Most of these architectural masterpieces are derelict, while some others have been demodernised. The shepherds’ shelters (mitato) are small rock build round houses that were used as places of dairy production. Their architecture has age-long roots since they are built with the use of schists and the technique used for ancient arched tombs. The visitor can admire many of these shelters (mitato) in a visit to the forest of Rouvas and the mountainous area of Vorizia.
