Less than 50 km from Chania between Topolia and Koutsamatados is an interesting cave known as Agia Sofia and Wisdom of God. It is located on the main road connecting Elafonissi beach and Kissamos village. This road leads along the spectacular Gorge Topolia. This is one of those roads on Crete that are not forgotten. On one side of the road there is a high and steep rock, on the other hand a chasm leading to the bottom of a 300 meter gorge. In addition, a narrow tunnel was designated on this route, to which entry is only possible in a shuttle.
Coming from the Elafonissi beach, the Agia Sofia cave is just before this tunnel. It is located at a height of about 400 meters, so when we look at it from the bottom, we see only a not too big entrance opening. There is also a small belfry and a metallic star that reflects on sunny days.
Leave the car on the road at the Panorama Café tavern, where the path leading to the entrance to the cave begins. Climbing up a steep rocky slope is marked by stone stairs climbing up sharply. We visited this place in the spring afternoon, when the cave is in the shade. It definitely made our climb easier. Despite the fact that the cave did not give us a large impression at the bottom, we changed our mind during the approach. It is inhabited by dozens of pigeons, whose multiplication coincident by the echo, intensifies the growing anxiety during approach.
When we reached the top it turned out that the cave Agia Sofia is quite large and high. Its area is about 70 m in diameter, and the height reaches even 20 meters. Our surprise caused that in the cave on the left there is a small chapel of the same name. Although its decoration is modest and very typical of Orthodox sacral objects, its location has made us feel that extraordinary presence. After years of learning about Crete, we are not surprised by the fact that chapels and churches are located under rocks, in various hollows. However, in Agia Sofia there is something unusual, one could say that it is a cave of God.
The name of the cave and the chapel of Agia Sofia comes from the icon that is located here. Probably it comes from a temple formerly located in Constantinople. According to the legend, the Cretan seamen defended the city's shores against attacks by the Turks. When Sultan Mehmed II announced a truce, he allowed them to sail home. They could not take a gun with them, but in exchange they got permission to take something in return. A part of the Cretans from Kissamos, she took the icon with her and hid it in this cave. Later, a chapel was built here.
After seeing a sacral part of the church, we started exploring the cave itself. There are a lot of stalactites and stalagmites in its area, the size of which reaches even about 6 meters. This is where the pigeons are in operation, which are constantly making noise and flying. There is a lot of humidity in the cave, so the rocks cover moss in many places.
According to the sources, Agia Sofia was once a place of worship, and many artifacts from the Neolithic times were found in its area. They were mainly clay figurines and ceramic vessels.
On one of the larger stones is a strange shape reminiscent of a horse shoe. According to some sources, it is the imprint of the horse's hoof. George. This cave has not been fully researched, so there are suspicions that it extends into neighboring small caves and rooms. Some time ago, two skeletons without heads dating back several centuries were found in the cave. It is believed that these were the remains of the Psaromilingos brothers who were hiding in the cave during the Venetian occupation. They were to die in a fight during the rebellion led by Leon Kallergis, who did not agree to an amicable policy towards the occupant. The heads of the brothers delivered to the Venetians were to save the lives of other insurgents.
Today, two holidays are celebrated each year at Agia Sofia: on Tuesday after Easter and on December 24. Entrance to the cave is possible every daybetween 8-20. Admission is free so far.
↤ click the appropriate part of the island to change the bottom map
W 2002 roku Falasarna zdobyła tytuł najlepszej plaży w Grecji. Wyróżnienie to nie jest bynajmniej przypadkowe, gdyż miejsce to jak na standardy Krety jest naprawdę unikalne.
Elafonisi is a small island located at the end of the southwestern edge of Crete. A characteristic feature of Elafonisi is the shallow lagoon connecting it with Crete.
Elafonisi is a small island located at the end of the southwestern edge of Crete. A characteristic feature of Elafonisi is the shallow lagoon connecting it with Crete.
This is the second largest airport (IATA code: CHQ) in Crete. In 2010, the airport in Chania served a total of over 1.65 million passengers.
Chania (Χανιά) is the second largest (after Heraklion) city of Crete. The biggest advantage of Chania is the area of the Old Town and the beautiful Venetian Harbor.
Aptera is a city whose history dates back to at least a thousand years before our era. In the peak period, about 20,000 lived in it. people, of which only 1/5 were free people.
Chania (Χανιά) is the second largest (after Heraklion) city of Crete. The biggest advantage of Chania is the area of the Old Town and the beautiful Venetian Harbor.
The genesis of the name of this poviat will not surprise anybody who will break the road from the Imbros gorge to Hora Sfakion.
Frangokastello is a small fortress that was built by the Venetians over four years from 1371. Initially, the castle was named after Saint Nikitas.
(Χρυσοσκαλίτισσα) The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Golden Step from the 17th century is the westernmost church building of this type.
(Χρυσοσκαλίτισσα) The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Golden Step from the 17th century is the westernmost church building of this type.
Omalos is a perfect starting point for exploring the Samaria Gorge. Located over 1,100 m above sea level extends over an area of 25 km2. Its size corresponds more or less to the size of the Lasithi Plateau.
Located 47 km from the city of Chania, it is the only freshwater lake in Crete. Its area is about 580 thousand. sqm. and the maximum depth is about 45 meters
Omalos is a perfect starting point for exploring the Samaria Gorge. Located over 1,100 m above sea level extends over an area of 25 km2. Its size corresponds more or less to the size of the Lasithi Plateau.
The steel crossing, which in the central part is separated from the ground by nearly 150 m, is at the leading position of the places where the longest bungee jumps are made.
Chania (Χανιά) is the second largest (after Heraklion) city of Crete. The biggest advantage of Chania is the area of the Old Town and the beautiful Venetian Harbor.
The genesis of the name of this poviat will not surprise anybody who will break the road from the Imbros gorge to Hora Sfakion. Word
This is the second largest airport (IATA code: CHQ) in Crete. In 2010, the airport in Chania served a total of over 1.65 million passengers.
Chora Sfakion is an extremely picturesque mountain village of the mountainous and wild Sfakia region
Loutro is famous for the fact that you can get to it only from the sea or walk on the mountain trail, because there is no other road here.
Stavros used to be a small fishing village. Today, it is primarily a tourist destination, but in a positive sense.
The cave is less than 1 km from Moni Gouvernetou Monastery. You will reach it using the pedestrian trail that has been marked out along the slope of the Avlaki Gorge.
Balos is one of Crete's flagship beaches if not all of Greece. We can assure you that the landscapes you see during your trip to Balos will remain with you for a very long time.
Moni Katholiko is probably the oldest and most spectacular monastery in Crete. It is located 20 km north-east of Chania.
The Orthodox monastery of Agia Triada, located on the northern part of the Akrotiri peninsula, is one of the most beautiful and richest monasteries in Crete.
The Orthodox monastery of Agia Triada, located on the northern part of the Akrotiri peninsula, is one of the most beautiful and richest monasteries in Crete.
Gouverneto Monastery is probably the oldest active Greek Catholic monastery located on the Akrotiri peninsula near Chania.
The length of the trail leading through this place is about 8 kilometers and the difference in altitude is about 600m.
Agia Roumeli znajduje się na południowym wybrzeżu Prefektury Chania, pomiędzy miejscowościami Chora Sfakion i Paleochora.
Until the early nineties, this place was known only to few tourists and local residents.
Paleochora is a quite well-organized tourist town, with a beautiful large sandy beach
Ruiny starożytnego miasta Lissos znajdują się około 3,5 km od miejscowości Sougia na południowym wybrzeżu Krety.
Samaria is one of the most important tourist attractions located in the western part of Crete.
On the north-western coast of Crete, at the foot of the Gramovous peninsula, there are ruins of the ancient port of Korikos, later known as Falassarna.
Krios Beach is located about 9 km west of Paleochora and it is also the last beach on this stretch of the southern coast
Between the villages of Topolia and Koutsamatados there is an interesting cave known as Agia Sofia
Milia is an authentic mountain settlement, which most probably dates from about the seventeenth century.
On the edge of the village of Potamida grows a complex of clay mounds called Komolithi (Komolithoi)
Grammeno (Γραμμένο) is a beach that can be counted among one of the best and most beautiful beaches in this part of Crete.
Platanias is a popular tourist destination. It is here that there are very interesting tunnels from World War II.
Polyrinia was one of the most important city-states of western Crete during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. It was built amphitheater on a steep hill, rising to a height of 481 meters above sea level
The Agia Irini gorge, just a short distance from the village of Sougia, is one of the most popular hiking destinations.
The island of Gramvousa, or in fact Imeri Gramvousa (Ήμερη Γραμβούσα), is an inseparable point of a trip that combines a stay in the Balos Lagoon with visiting the remains of a fortress located on the top of the island of Imeri Gramovousa.
Agia Roumeli is located on the south coast of Chania Prefecture, between Chora Sfakion and Paleochora.
The Byzantine church of Agios Pavlos was erected on the remote Selouda Beach in the south of Crete.
There is a beach in Crete that literally makes some people shiver. This place is Seitan Limania which can be translated as Satan's Ports or Cursed Ports.
Aspri Limni means White Lake, although the lake is just a conventional name. Under this term there is a small bay.
This ancient quarry, consisting of two parts by modern times, is called Λαβυρινθάκι and Λαβύρινθος. According to some scientists, it was here in Knossos that there was a mythical labyrinth of King Minos.
One of the tourist attractions eagerly visited by people spending their holidays in Crete is the Dikte (Psychro) cave. The main factors that attract people to this cave are a rich and varied dripstone robe and a close connection with mythology. This cave, according to the beliefs of ancient Greeks, was considered the birthplace of Zeus. It is mythology that distinguishes this cave among 3,000 other caves located in Crete. It is also worth emphasizing that the history of human existence in this place is over 6,000 years.
According to Greek mythology, Zeus hid (and perhaps even gave birth) in the Ida cave. This myth is the greatest asset of this cave, which is not as interesting and beautiful as the Dikte cave. Ida Cave is just an empty and unlit big hole in the rock. Quite steep descent to the bottom is built of old railway sleepers. At the bottom of the cave there is a wooden platform, there are also remnants of the former excavations. The cave is located on the eastern slope of the Psiloriti, in the central part of Crete - about 20 kilometers from the village of Anogia. Its total area is approximately 800 square meters. It consists of four chambers, of which the largest, main chamber is about 40 meters long and 50 wide.
Komentarze
komentarz z
...byłam tam. Pięknie :)
komentarz z
Potwierdzam :-)
komentarz z
Przepięknie. Będę zawsze tam wracać
komentarz z
Byłam
komentarz z
Byłam,widzialam-niesamowite
komentarz z
Ja tez
komentarz z
I tez widzialam, nawet dwa razy. Jak będę na Krecie to zawsze tam wstapię.
komentarz z
A ja będę
komentarz z
Byłam we wrześniu
komentarz z
Παρολίγον να μη γνωρίσω το μέρος, έχω φωτογραφίες εκει.
komentarz z
Zrobila na mnie wrazenie...
komentarz z
Nasza pierwsza wycieczka
Wypełnij poniższy formularz aby dodać komentarz
lub kliknij w poniższy link aby skorzystać z możliwosci komentowania przez facebooka:
https://www.facebook.com/crete.poland/posts/10154211358462551