Arkalochori is located approximately 33km south of Heraklion, at an altitude of about 400m. It is one of the main residential and commercial centres of the Heraklion hinterland and the historic province of Monofatsi. The local economy is based mainly on agriculture, livestock farming, commerce and services for the surrounding villages.

An open-air market is held in the centre of Arkalochori every Saturday, continuing a tradition whose roots reach back to the Ottoman period. The town’s exhibition centre also hosts the Pan-Cretan Agricultural and Livestock Exhibition, presenting products, machinery and services associated with the primary sector.

According to the most widespread folk interpretation, the town’s name derives from the word “arkalos”, the Cretan dialect word for the badger. An alternative explanation connects the name with Arkoleontas or the older form Arkoleochori. The settlement is recorded in Venetian sources from the late 14th century.

Archaeological sites

The most important archaeological monument in the area is the Sacred Cave of Arkalochori, on Profitis Ilias Hill. An exceptionally large collection of metal offerings was discovered inside, including bronze swords and daggers, copper ingots and double axes made of bronze, gold and silver. The most renowned find is the inscribed Arkalochori Axe, bearing fifteen symbols that have not yet been deciphered. The most important finds are displayed at the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.

Traces of the ancient town of Arkalochori survive on the summit and slopes of the same hill. The site was occupied for a long period and preserves rock-cut building foundations, cisterns and remains of other installations. Further north, at Kefala near Galatas, stands the Minoan Palace of Galatas, an important palatial complex of the Minoan period.

On 27 September 2021, the area was struck by a strong earthquake that caused extensive damage to houses, public buildings and monuments. The chapel of Profitis Ilias, above the sacred cave, collapsed and was subsequently rebuilt.