Palaiochora

Paleochora (Greek Παλαιόχωρα ( f sg ) ) is a town in the extreme southwest of Crete. The city center is situated on a narrow isthmus of the peninsula like a fast steep south coast is upstream. Because of this geographical location, Paleochora is the sunniest part of the island of Crete. At the southern end of the peninsula lies the port, another boat landing is located on the eastern waterfront. Here, ferries and ships at that locals and tourists to Gavdos, transport to the Samaria Gorge or to the beach of Elafonisi. The distance to Chania is about 72 km. The name in German means " age (main) place "; this implies that the town was a long time uninhabited or temporarily the function was passed as an administrative center for the area to another place.

Paleochora part of the municipal district of the municipality Pelekanos Kandanos - Selino and exists according to various data since about 1400 AD Above the village can be found on a small hill, the remains of a Venetian castle. The started but not finished excavation of the fort shows various foundations and remains of a cistern and a fountain.

Paleochora is one of the fastest growing tourist towns in Greece. Shops and restaurants meet both the needs of the local residents and the visitors. The infrastructure is heavily designed to tourism; most residents earn their living by renting out rooms or employment in the catering industry. Agriculture (especially tomatoes, olives) and livestock play a very important role in Paleochora and environment. The beach east of the town is built; this is now also the case for the mountain slope behind the beach.

Climate

Paleochora has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot summers. According to the National Observatory of Athens (NOA ) Every year around 500 mm of precipitation. In the period from 2007 to 2012, the average annual temperature was 20.7 ° C. This Paleochora is the warmest region of Greece, based on all NOA weather stations.

History

1278: a Venetian general named Marino Gradenigo founded a village in the area of Paleochora called " Selino Kasteli ". The village gave the whole area the name " Selina ", which was originally called " Orina " (? ). The name is derived from the Greek word " Σέλινο " ( celery).

1332: Destruction of the village

1334: Reconstruction of the Village of Venetians

1539: Re- destruction by the pirate Barbarossa (?)

1595: Reconstruction by " Dolf " (? )

1645: Siege of the village of Turks and modification (?).

1834: An English traveler named Robert Pashley found the entire town destroyed before, only a flour mill and two camps were apparently in operation.

1866: Beginning of the recolonization of Paleochora.

WW II: Fighting between the 65th German battalion and Cretan resistance fighters. In the so-called Gavdos district to find homes of emigrants who have left the island of Gavdos. These houses were built in the typical style of Gavdos, that is, they have a floor area of ​​approximately 4 mx 7 m, relatively small windows and doors are made of rubble.

1970: The village discovered by hippies as a holiday paradise in Europe, and since then, tourism grew to become the most important Einkunft the city.