WEATHER

Anogeia

Light Showers
11°C
Wind: 15 Southwest

Rethymno

16°C
Wind: 27 West

Spili

14°C
Wind: 06 West

Fragma Potamon

17°C
Wind: 13 West

Anogia - Zominthos - Zominthos - Nida

Archaeological sites

Zominthos:

The Minoan location of Zominthos is found approximately half way from Anogeia to Idaion Andron at an altitude of 1187 m. At that point, two ancient roads are crossed and come from the East and Northeast towards the temple of Zeus. Researches have brought to light an extended facility that was comprised of a "Central Building" around the settlement, the central area of which is estimated at approximately 4000 square meters. This location must have been inhabited at least twice in time, during the LATE MINOAN ERA ΙΑ and the LATE MINOAN ERA ΙΙΙ. The "Central Building" that is dated back to the LATE MINOAN ERA ΙΑ, is the largest, until now, known Minoan "villa" with 54 m in length and 37 m in width. The building is a monumental construction, built from sharply rustic limestones and is rescued in a good condition. Its walls that are rescued at a height of 2.5 m are 1 m thick, while the brickwork of the frontage is considered to be one of the best preserved in Crete. It is estimated that the ground floor of the central building was comprised of 40 areas and rooms.

Its location, that is, on the road that leads to Idaion Andron and its physiognomy, have led the researchers to assume that the Minoan facility of Zominthos was an intermediate stop for the worshippers' ascend to the temple of Zeus.

Zominthos - Mnimata:

Mnimata lies at a glacis on the Northeastern part of the Minoan location of Zominthos and on the road in the direction of Anogeia to Idaion Andron. In this direction, in the framework of the systematic research at Zominthos during the excavations of 1990 and 1994, a test excavation took place that brought to light structural remains of the LATE MINOAN ERA ΙΙΙ. From examinations in the area, shells of the LATE MINOAN ARE Ι were found. The remains belong to the settlement that surrounded the "Central Building" that was excavated in Zominthos, which was believed to have been extended to an area of approximately 4000 square meters (including the "Central Building"). In addition, the remains of 2 cheese-making units are visible. The one of these units is dated back to the 1600 and the other one at the 1900.

PHOTOGRAPHS