Kourtaliotiko Gorge

The Kourtaliotiko Gorge (Greek Κουρταλιώτικο φαράγγι ) is a mountain incision in the southern Greek island of Crete, between the mountains of the west located Kouroupa and the eastern Xiro. It is located in the municipality Finikas in the Regional District of Rethymno. The bottom of the gorge forms the bed of the Megalopotamos ( Μεγαλοπόταμος ) or Kourtaliotis ( Κουρταλιώτης ), one of the ten to the sea constantly water-bearing rivers in Crete.

The right- vegetated gorge with its natural caves is nesting and breeding ground of several protected birds of prey, such as the lambs vulture and the gold eagle. The namesake of the gorge is the Holy Nikolaos with his nickname ο Κουρταλιώτης (o Kourtaliotis, " the Klapperer " or " the Noisy "). According to legend, he struck with his staff on the rock, and then the seven still bubbling springs sprang. In his honor, was built in the gorge near the sources of a chapel - Agios Nikolaos.

From the chapel of the river Kourtaliotis year brings a lot of water and is therefore also called Megalopotamos ( " Great River "). It ends at Palm beach Preveli into the sea. A large part of the water is diverted for irrigation but before the southern plain of Finikas in an irrigation canal.

Through the gorge connecting road leads from the district capital of Rethymno in the north to the south coast of Crete Plakias and Prevelis. It was paved only in the early 1960s and is now one of the most spectacular gorge crossings of Crete. The rock walls left and right rise up to 250 meters steeply, where the river bed is in places more than 100 feet below street level.

• Running the Megalopotamos through the gorge
• Southern canyon output