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You are in: Home  Greece Crete Rethymnon Prefecture Rethymnon
Rethymnon
The province of Rethymno is one of the four provinces of Crete. It stretches from the White Mountains until mount Psiloritis, bordered by the provinces of Hania and Heraklion. It covers an area of 1.496 km and has a population of 81.157 inhabitants. The city of Rethymno is the capital of the province of Rethymno and has been built in the north coast of Crete where there is the Cretan Sea. The population of the town of Rethymno is around 23.126 inhabitants.
The province of Rethymno is the most mountainous one. The basic products that are produced are olives, oil, and vegetables. In the mountainous area of Rethymno is developed the cattle breeding but the town of Rethymno is mostly commercial.
Some historical points about Rethymno 3500 BC 1200 AC
According to archaeological discoveries, man first arrived in the area in the later Neolithic years (3500-2800). During the Minoan period (2800-1100) human activity spread throughout the whole province. Settlements and large building complexes appeared which were later flattened by earthquakes culminating in their final destruction in the earthquake of 1450 BC During the Geometric period (710-270) there is evidence of civilization in the area of Eleftherna and its eastern areas. During the classical years (470-323) Sivritos boomed, as did Rihymna, the predecessor of today's Rethymno. During the Hellenistic and Roman periods, Lappa appears as the most important city. The 5th, 6th and first half of 7th centuries were peaceful under the jurisdiction of the Byzantine Empire. At the second half of the 7th century Crete was conquered by Arabs and one and a half-year later Crete was reconquered by the Byzantines.
1200 AC until today
In 1204 Crete came under Venetian rule, a period of domination which lasted until 1669, the last centuries of which are characterized as the "Kingdom of Crete" and left a legacy of many important monuments on the island. The Turkish occupation brought with it a dark period for Crete and Rethymno also. The economy became agricultural, education ceased for a few centuries and oppression became unbearable. The revolution at Sfakia in 1770 prepared for the uprising of 1821, which in turn re-ignited in 1866. It was in this revolution that the Arkadi Monastery was setting in fire.
Crete was eventually unified with the rest of Greece in 1913 and since then it has followed the nations history. In May 1941, Crete was one of the German Parachutists' three fronts. During this period of the German bondage, the resistance of the local people led to the execution of hundreds of inhabitants and the levelling of whole villages.
The tourism has been developed in the last 20 years and has given employment opportunities to the people of the whole Crete and Rethymno and has stemmed the emigration to urban centers which had devastated the settlements of the province. At the same time, it has put a strain on natural resources and the environment.
The monuments
The Venetian harbor: From 1300, Rethymno's harbor was constantly being changed and re-built to make it safer and hold more boats. Due to the prevailing currents along the coast, this was never entirely successful. It remains its picturesque character even today.
The old town: The old town has been preserved in good condition with monuments of the Venetian, Turkish and later periods.
The Fortezza fortress: It was built during the 15th century for the protection of the population of Rethymno
The Loggia: It is the most characteristic Renaissance monument of Rethymno and the most important architectural reminder of the Venetian occupation. It was built in the middle of the 16th century.
The Rimondi Fountain: It was built in 1626 by Rettore Rimondi on the foundations of an earlier one and the aim was to solve the problem of water. The Rimondi Fountain is architecturally and sculptural ornate.
Saint Franciscus church: It is one of the most important monuments in Rethymno and it was the catholic monastery of the Franciscan order. This building today belongs to the Univercity of Crete.
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