| Rethymnon Area Information |
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Rethymnon has a rich and varied history that spans thousands of years. Findings from caves in the region provide evidence of human habitation that dates back to Neolithic times. Findings from within the town indicate that Rethymnon itself has been inhabited since the late Minoan Era. During the 3rd and 4th Centuries BC the autonomous state of Rithymna was of sufficient importance to issue its own coinage. In 1204 Byzantium handed over Crete to Boniface of Monferrato of the Fourth Crusade. Boniface of Monferrato then sold Crete to the Venetians for 230 kilos of silver. However, the Venetians were initially slow to establish themselves on the island. In 1206 the Genoese pirate Enrico Pescatore invaded Crete and it was not until 1210 that the Venetians regained control. It was during the Venetian occupation that Rethymnon re-emerged as a settlement of note. The Venetians constructed impressive fortifications to the town - most notably the Fortezza, built distinctive monuments such as the Rimondi Fountain and the Loggia, and developed the harbour. Rethymnon became an important trading centre for the export of wine and oil from the region. This period also marks a time of cultural and artistic renaissance for the town. Local scholars such as Markos Mousouros, Zacharias Kalliergis and the Vergikios brothers were internationally revered. Poets such as Hortatzis, Troilus and Marinos Tzane Bounialis made valuable contributions to Cretan literature, and painters such as Emmanuel Lambardos and Emmanuel Bounialis were renowned as exponents of the Cretan School in Renaissance art. The first 150 years of Venetian rule were turbulent times, marked by several uprisings by local inhabitants against the Venetian conquerors. However, despite local resistance, the Venetians managed to implement a number of administrative changes to the region. In the second administrative division of Crete (14th Century), Rethymnon was made capital of one of the 4 provinces. In 1307 it became the seat of the governor, indicating the growing importance of the town. The port also became more important as a centre for international trade due to its direct link with Constantinople. After the fall of Constantinople to the Turks in 1453, Crete became increasingly vulnerable to raids from the East. In 1538 Khair-ed-Din Barbarossa (pirate/Turkish admiral) attacked the North coast of Crete. This attack brought home the need to fortify Rethymnon. One of the greatest architects of the age - Michele Sanmicheli - was brought to Rethymnon for this purpose. During the period of 1540-1570 fortification work began. Unfortunately, the only remaining part of the original fortifications to be seen today is the Guora Gate in the centre of town. The initial fortifications were unable to withstand the continuing onslaughts from the Turks. In 1571 the pirate Ulutz Ali launched a devastating raid on Rethymnon and the Turkish army burned down half the houses in town. The Venetians responded to this by starting work on the construction of the imposing Fortezza, the first stone being laid in 1573. Over the years, however, the walls of the Fortezza became weakened by successive Turkish raids. In 1646 during the fifth Venetian-Turkish war, the troops of Huseyin Pas besieged the city for 22 days. The local population and Venetian soldiers sought refuge in the Fortezza, but were finally forced to negotiate surrender to the Turks on November 13th. The period of the Turkish occupation is seen as one of the darkest times in Crete's history. Rethymnon continued to be an important administrative centre under the Turks; however it was also a hotbed of local resistance. The Turks imposed crippling taxes on the townspeople, re-investing little in the development of the town. Muslims became dominant, and those Christians who resisted conversion to Islam suffered severe repression. Architecturally, the image of the town changed completely. Many churches were destroyed, with mosques and minarets being erected in their place. The Turks also made modifications to the existing Venetian houses - most notably in the construction of sachnisia, or wooden balconies, projecting from the buildings. The distinctive mix of Venetian and Turkish architecture in the 'old town' of Rethymnon is still greatly in evidence today. During the Turkish occupation there were numerous uprisings by local inhabitants. One of the first major rebellions, centred in Sfakia, took place in 1770. This rebellion failed, however it did pave the way for an almost constant series of successive revolutions. By the 19th century the Turkish occupiers were under serious pressure from local inhabitants both on Crete and on the Greek mainland. In 1821 the Greek War of Independence broke out. Despite the fierce fighting Crete failed to gain its freedom - instead the island was ceded by the Turks to the Egyptian Pasha Mehmet Ali (1830-1841). After the Turks regained control of the island in 1841 Cretans were engaged in continual warfare in favour of union with the rest of Greece. As with previous rebellions the Great Cretan Revolution (1866-1869) failed to gain freedom for the Cretans. Nevertheless, this uprising drew international attention to the plight of the Cretans. The dramatic culmination to the siege of the Arkadi Monastery (18 km South-East of Rethymnon) in 1866 attracted world-wide sympathy. Several hundred local inhabitants barricaded themselves into ammunition storerooms and then chose to blow themselves up, rather than surrender to the Turks. The Turkish period of occupation finally ended with the arrival of the Great Powers in 1897. The island was occupied by an international force, with the island being divided into regions controlled by the British, French, Russians and Italians. In 1897 Russian troops arrived in Rethymnon as part of the settlement by the 'Great Powers' which gave autonomy to Crete. In 1898 Prince George arrived at Chania to take office as High Commissioner. During this time preparations began in order to establish Crete as an autonomous state with its own constitution and government. Autonomy brought Rethymnon several benefits, resulting in the revival of economic and intellectual activity within the town. Nevertheless, unification with the rest of Greece remained an ultimate goal for many of the inhabitants. There were several attempts by Crete to attain unity with Greece. A key protagonist in this respect was Eleftherios Venizelos, Prince George's Justice Minister and a representative of the Cretan Assembly. As a result of Prince George's implacable opposition to unification, Eleftherios Venizelos convened a revolutionary assembly in Therisos in 1905, summoning the Cretans to take up arms. Although the rebellion was subsequently crushed, the strength of local support resulted in the resignation of Prince George and the appointment of a new Governor. Despite the appointment of a new Governor, Cretans continued to press for unification with Greece. In 1908 the Cretan assembly unilaterally declared unity with Greece. However, the Greek government, fearful of antagonising the Great Powers, rejected this declaration. It was not until the outbreak of the first Balkan War in 1912 that Cretan representatives were allowed in the Greek parliament. Crete was formally recognised as part of the Greek state at the end of the Balkan War in 1913 by the Treaty of Bucharest. After WWI the Greek army landed at Smyrna (now Izmir) in Turkey. This started the Asia Minor War which ended in 1923 with the Treaty of Lausanne. Part of the treaty called for the enforced exchange of populations: almost 400,000 Turks living in Greece were moved back to Turkey whilst almost 1.5 million Greeks left Turkey. On Crete the entire population of 30,000 Turks left the island - leaving their houses to a similar number of incoming Greek refugees. During WWII Rethymnon was one of the major theatres of war in the Battle of Crete (1941). After 10 days of intense fighting the German troops managed to capture the airfield of Maleme (16 km West of Chania), effectively ending the battle. Despite fierce resistance the German occupying forces managed to settle in Rethymnon, taking control of all aspects of daily life. During the German occupation Rethymnon became a centre for local partisan activity. Many townspeople and villagers risked their lives by hiding and helping allied soldiers who had been stranded on the island after the Battle of Crete. The local monasteries also played an important role in the resistance, in particular Preveli Monastery on the South coast. Resistance activities resulted in savage reprisals by the occupying forces; in a number of villages the entire male population was massacred by the Germans and buildings were razed to the ground. After WWII it took some time for Rethymnon to recover its former prosperity. The first tourists started to arrive in the late '50s and early '60s; this industry has continued to grow year on year. Over recent decades Rethymnon's importance as a commercial and agricultural centre has also increased: agricultural products providing valuable revenue for the region include olives, wine, oranges and avocados. Intellectual activity in Rethymnon has continued to develop: in 1973 the University of Crete was established with a campus in Rethymnon; other campuses were built in Heraklion and Chania. In 1998 a completely new campus was built in the village of Gallou, 3 km South-West of Rethymnon. This campus brought together the schools of Philosophy, Education and Social Sciences. The Rethymnon campus is now the main seat of the University of Crete. Modern-day Rethymnon is a fascinating mix of old and new. It is a thriving intellectual and commercial centre, inhabitants being extremely receptive to all the latest technological advances. Nevertheless, local people retain a deep sense of pride in their history, thus ensuring that Rethymnon's unique heritage is preserved for generations to come. |
Today Rethymnon is a university town, and
this is reflected in the craft shops, cafés, and
inviting stylish bars that seem to be around
every corner. Mid-July sees the towns wine
festival, which is held in Rethymnon's city
park just outside the city walls. Rethymnon
Old Town, huddles beneath the Venetian
Forteza, a magnificent stronghold built
between 1573 and 1586. Its great walls would
have been pierced with guns, but the Turkish
army still captured it in 1646. The Turks left
behind their legacy of the Mosque of
Nerantzies and minaret in the old town
which is now under renovation, and is used
today as a cultural centre. There are several
other mosques still there today.
Rethymnon beach is long and sandy and only
a short distance from the Old and New
towns . Rethymnon also hosts one of the
largest Apokreas (Mardi Gras) carnival in
Greece second to Patras. The town erupts in a
flurry of costumes, reminiscent of Venice and
there is much celebrating .
Rethymnon is a beautiful, romantic, dignified
city, full of life but still holding an air of
mystery, making it a popular destination for
visitors from around the world.
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