Margarites village

Margarites, in the historic province of Mylopotamos, is one of the most beautiful traditional villages in Crete. It occupies a panoramic position at an altitude of approximately 300 metres, above green ravines and the surrounding countryside. Its colourful stone houses, historic churches and picturesque alleys create a particularly attractive architectural ensemble.

Within a short distance of the village are Ancient Eleftherna and the Archaeological Museum of Eleftherna. Margarites is therefore an ideal place to stop for food, take a walk and discover the traditional architecture and crafts of Mylopotamos.

The village has a long tradition of pottery. Its workshops and shops display large storage jars, flowerpots, plates and many other decorative or practical ceramic objects. The techniques used by local potters have deep roots and have been passed down through generations. Together with Thrapsano in Heraklion, Margarites is regarded as one of the most important pottery centres in Crete.

The history of the village is also reflected in its numerous churches. Among the most important are Saint John the Theologian, with frescoes dating from 1383, Saint John the Baptist, dating from the 15th century, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, with its impressive bell tower, and Saint Nicholas. On a hill above the village stands the Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Saviour and Saint Gideon.

Margarites was destroyed by the Venetians in 1333 because of the revolutionary activity of its inhabitants. During the Ottoman period, it became an administrative centre of the province of Mylopotamos. In 1829 it served as the seat of the Cretan Council, while in 1879 it became the seat of the Municipality of Margarites.

More activities

Ancient Eleftherna

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Ancient Eleftherna is located 25km southeast of Rethymno, close to the Monastery of Arkadi. The town is the most important archaeological site in the prefecture of Rethymno, which has not fully been excavated and it is expected to give archaeologists many more discoveries. The first organized excavations here started in 1985 by the University of Crete.

Margarites Gorge

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Margarites is a village, well known for its marvelous architecture and the traditional pottery. However, in the wider area of the villages of Margarites, Orthe and Eleftherna appear a series of small, parallel gorges. Small streams such as Margaritianos flow towards the north and are tributaries of the Geropotamos River. The gorges are developed in white-yellow marly limestone of the Upper Miocene period (8-10 million years ago) as a result of the uplift of the whole area and the erosion by water.

Christ Savior and Saint Gedeon Monastery at Margarites

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The monastery is located in the village Margarites, 30km south of Rethymno, and was built in the late 15th - early 16th century. It is a dependency of the Monastery of Karakalou at Athos. Its founder belonged to the Venetian family Dandolo. In front of the beautiful gate, there is a tomb embossed with the crest of Dandolo, preserved in very good condition till today.

Margarites Domed Tomb

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Near the village Margarites we meet is a Late Minoan tomb of 1350 BC, which is considered one of the most important sites of the area. An aisle with carved stones leads to a circular domed tomb. Inside it, the bones of four adults and two children were found. From the findings, it seems that they came from higher social and religious level.

Ancient Bridge of Eleftherna.

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The ancient bridge of Eleftherna was built in the first half of the 4th century and is preserved in excellent condition, crossing the torrent Chalopotas. Nearby there was another twin bridge that has not survived. It has a length of 9.5 meters and a width of 5.25 meters. It has a characteristic shape, as there is no arch, but a triangular opening (ekforic architecture).

Archaeological Museum of Eleftherna

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The Museum of Ancient Eleftherna is the first museum inside and archaeological site in Crete, as it is located next to the ancient city of Eleftherna. The three halls of the museum host the whole history of Eleftherna from 3000 BC city to 1300 AD with everyday objects and artworks.

Gre Ele olive tree at Kato Tripodo

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The olive tree has been declared by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities as a natural monument due to its size, shape and relief trunk. The name of the site is Gre Ele which means Old Olive and refers to this tree. Its variety is throumboelia and is grafted on a rootstock of a wild olive tree. It is estimated to have been planted in 650-500BC and is located very close to the archaeological site of Eleftherna.

Trail Arkadi - Eleftherna - Margarites

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This part of the E4 trail starts from the historical monastery of Arkadi, heads to antiquities of the ancient town Eleftherna and then concludes at the village Margarites. The highlights of the route include the monastery of Arkadi, the ancient necropolis and the Roman cisterns in Eleftherna and the traditional houses of Margarites.