Paliani
| Paliani Παλιανή | |
|---|---|
  Paliani | |
|
Location within the regional unit  | |
| Coordinates: 35°12′N 25°02′E / 35.200°N 25.033°ECoordinates: 35°12′N 25°02′E / 35.200°N 25.033°E | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Crete |
| Regional unit | Heraklion |
| Municipality | Heraklion |
| Population (2001)[1] | |
| • Municipal unit | 2,404 |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
Paliani (Greek: Παλιανή) is a former municipality in the Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Heraklion, of which it is a municipal unit.[2] Population 2,404 (2001). The seat of the municipality was in Venerato. Until 2002, the municipality was named "Tetrachori".
The municipal unit of Paliani, named after the nunnery on the outskirts of Venerato, consists of the villages of Kerásia, Veneráto, Avgenikí, and Síva.
Kerásia
Kerásia (Κεράσια) is 18 km from Iraklio, south by the national road. Kerásia is a small Cretan village in Iraklion prefecture, surrounded by the other villages. There are two spellings. Kerassia and Kerásia. Some believe it comes from the word for cherry tree – which is the same word. Others say it comes from the Greek verb kerno which means ‘to offer’.
Kerasia sits at the foothills of Mt Psiloritis, in a gently sloping valley. It is a small agricultural village producing sultanas, grapes and olive oil. The olive groves and vineyards are interspersed with each family’s perivoli orchard or garden, with mandarinia, lemonia, walnuts karidia, lots of other fruit and vegetables. Yards with pigs and goats are dotted about.
With about 40 families, some of Kerasia’s houses are closed up, their owners in Iraklion or further such as Germany, USA or Australia. This creates odd pauses in the village as you walk through the narrow streets, crumbled buildings and empty corners. This is slowly changing as people return from the diaspora.
The village is near the national road and with access to both Iraklio and Messara. The first mention of the village dates to 1583.
Kerásia has two churches, Agios Giorgos in the lower village near the kafenion, and Agios Síllas Άγιος Σύλλας higher on the hill. These are fully functioning alive churches.
The small country roads around Kerásia will lead to another church - I Panayia i Faneromeni Παναγία η Φανερωμένη, meaning roughly The Apparition of the Virgin. In the tranquil setting there are large trees and picnic tables to enjoy the view of the little gorge with cypress pines. There are some very old gnarled olive trees on the way to this shrine, a short 10 minute walk from Kerasia. The church looks over the valley with a rocky hill behind it, where goats roam.
The gorge is part of European walking trail E4.
The hub of village life is the Kafenion.
External links
References
- ↑ De Facto Population of Greece Population and Housing Census of March 18th, 2001 (PDF 39 MB). National Statistical Service of Greece. 2003.
- ↑ Kallikratis law Greece Ministry of Interior (Greek)
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