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
courtesy of: www.meteo.gr
Arkadi - Garazo
Length: 32 km
Estimated time: 11.5 hours
Suggested period: January - December
Difficulty: Gentle slops, but a tiresome route
Margarites
Village of the Municipality of Geropotamos, 27 klm away from Rethymno, at an altitude of 300 m, with 400 residents as a village and 950 residents as a community. There is a number of explanations regarding its name. The first explanation accepts the fact that the village took its name from the plethora of gowans (margarites) in the village. A second explanation is related to a story according to tradition. When the church of Agios Ioannis Theologos was built, Kallergis and Varouchas, residents of the village, travelled to Istanbul in order to bring a weaved door for the church's Beautiful Gate. In this door there were weaved white gowans and lilies. The famous textiles of Margarites were made by the women of the village, inspired by this door. A third explanation is related to a story according to tradition. The Queen of Eleftherna, called Margarita, visited Livadi one day and was charmed by the beauty of the landscape, so she gave all her jewelry to build the village. To honor her, the villagers named the village after her. The village was active even during the Venetian occupation, confirmed by the fact that the name of Dandalos is rescued. There are several ruins that belong to this family. The village is mentioned in all the Venetian censuses and Turkish documents. It was the centre of the Municipality of Margarites of the Cretan State. The residents were mainly occupied with pottery. The tradition of this art reaches the Minoan era. In previous years the pottery objects were being exported. The village was burned down by the pirates of Sarakini, in order to punish the residents of not subjugating. When Crete was recaptured by the Byzantians (961), the village was rebuilt with the help of Kallergis and Varouchas.
The tradition of Margarites is pottery. Its residents still make pottery objects, imitations of the ancient Minoan vessels.
Source: Municipality of Geropotamos
