Amnatos

Amnatos
Αμνάτος
Amnatos

Coordinates: 35°20′N 24°37′E / 35.333°N 24.617°ECoordinates: 35°20′N 24°37′E / 35.333°N 24.617°E
Country Greece
Administrative region Crete
Regional unit Rethymno
Municipality Rethymno
Area
 • Municipality 23.537 km2 (9.088 sq mi)
Population (2001)[1]
 • Municipality 222
 • Municipality density 9.4/km2 (24/sq mi)
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 • Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code 74100
Area code(s) 28310
Vehicle registration ΡΕ

Amnatos is a local community of the Rethymno Municipality in the Rethymno (regional unit) of the region of Crete established by Kallikratis reform. Previously, it was part of the municipal district of Municipality of Arkadi. Amnatos is a traditional settlement and is classified in Class II, that is of average cultural value (Government Gazette 728/21-9-1995).[2] Buildings with Venetian architectural elements are scattered throughout the village. In the year 2005 Amnatos received an award of the cleaner and organized traditional community[3]

Geography, origin of name, history

It is located on the northeastern edges of the Gargano mountain, 17 km southeast of Rethymno, on the way to Arkadi, at an altitude of 320 m.[4] It has remarkable view of the North Sea and the Cretan mountain Psiloreitis.

The location of the village appears to have been inhabited since ancient times and it is believed that the name Amnatos has Minoan origin.[5] Ancient Greeks used to call Amnion all those vessels used at their time to collect the blood of sacrificied animals.

The area was occupied by the Venetians and the Ottomans[6]

Nowadays, the local community of Amnatos consists of fours settlements: Amnatos, Kapsaliana (Καψαλιανά), Pikris (Πίκρης) and the Arkadi Monastery.

Population of Amnatos[7]
Settlement 1940 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001
Amnatos 372 328 276 213 193 196 147
Kapsaliana 58 31 27 16 12 4 2
Arkadi Monastery 40 60 32 23 18 13 9
Pikris 183 205 151 111 121 77 64
Total 653 624 486 363 344 290 222

Attractions: Monuments, Temples, important buildings

Among the many Venetian buildings in the village of Amnatos, there is a house with a particularly impressive doorframe. The crown of the gable has the inscription: "INITIUM SAPIENTE TIMOR DOMINI" (In English: "The Beginning of Wisdom is Fear of the Lord")[8]

There is also a folk museum and a Municipal Museum of the History of Greek Education.[3]

Amnatos, the home village of Harikleia Daskalaki, a heroine of the Arkadi holocaust. A statue of this lady is found in the square of the village.[9]

Transportation

There is bus service (KTEL) from/to Rethymnon serving this area (route for Arkadi Monastery, which has three services on weekdays and two on weekends)[10]

External links

References

  1. ↑ De Facto Population of Greece Population and Housing Census of March 18th, 2001 (PDF 39 MB). National Statistical Service of Greece. 2003.
  2. ↑ Antonogiannakis Michael, The Vrisinas, The Mount Rethemnous, topographic, geographic, historical, social and folkloric perspective, Athens 2010 (in greek), p 382
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The rewarded settlements in Rethymno, Amnatos 2005". Tourism Promotion Committee of Rethymno Prefecture. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  4. ↑ Left. Kryovrysanakis, Rethymniotikos Digest, Typospoudi versions, Rethymnon 1993, pp. 89
  5. ↑ Papyrus Larousse Britannica, Athens, 1996, Volume 7
  6. ↑ "Ottoman Settlements". Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Digital Crete. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  7. ↑ Hellenic Statistical Authority, Digital Library (ELSAT), Census (Greek and English)
  8. ↑ "Private Buildings, The doorframe in the village of Amnatos". Tourism Promotion Committee of Rethymno Prefecture. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  9. ↑ "Itinerary: Rethymno - Platanias - Adele - Amnatos - Arkadi - Eleftherna - Ancient Eleftherna - Margarites - Hani Alexandrou - Rethymno". Tourism Promotion Committee of Rethymno Prefecture. Retrieved 11-4-2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. ↑ Bus timetables, Chromonastiri (in german) retrieved at 11-4-2012