The permanent exhibition of the Archaeological Museum of Messara is titled “In the midst of the Mountains, Human presence in Messara from prehistoric to Christian times”. Messara is an area with a high concentration of archaeological sites and monuments. The Museum itself is located at the western end of the archaeological site of Gortyna, which […]

Gortyna was an ancient city of Crete and was the capital of the island during the Roman era. 45 km from the city of Heraklion, it is located in the heart of the most fertile plain of the island, Messara. The city was built along the river Litheos. According to one tradition, it was named

The palace of Phaistos is the second largest Minoan palace (ca. 18,000 m2) and occupies the easternmost point of a hill that rises to the west of the most fertile plain of Crete, Messara. This Minoan palace has been standing there for centuries overlooking the fertile plain near Psiloritis, the Asterousia Mountains. It is about