venetian salt pans elounda

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The Venetian Salt Pans of Elounda

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Original content © simply Crete Holidays ltd 2006

On the south-eastern border of the Shisma settlement, near the submerged ancient city of Olous

are the salt

pans of

Elounda. The salt pans have, for about five centuries, produced salt of excellent

quality. These salt

pans were first constructed

by the Venetians (1211-1669) who since their arrival

in Crete were extremely

keen on producing salt to be used in food

preservation and was considered

a valuable commodity.

From 1669 to the end of the 19th century the salt mines were exploited by the Turks for the needs

of the

Ottoman Empire.

Then the Cretan Republic-independent with taxation obligation to the

Turks-undertook the

management of salt. From 1920

to 1972 the salt mines of Elounda were part of

the Greek monopoly. During

this period the salt was produced by the local

population in a

traditional manner without any use of modern

machinery or chemical additives.

Either in March or in April the sea-water entered the various dimensions and inter-connecting

evaporation

reservoirs where,

with the aid of the sun and the air its gradual vaporization took place.

The highly

concentrated waters then were moved to the

shallow crystallization pans where the salt

crystallized. The

harvest of salt begin in September.

Several laborers with the most basic of tools then undertook to “break” the crystallized salt,

forming piles

and later,

transported it to the salt deport (Chiona). In additions to the salt friendly

Greek climate, a lot of

labour, knowledge and

everyday care was necessary to produce good quality

salt not compounded with

other substances.

Today the greatest part of the salt mines is in the sea and only during the summer one can notice

the various

sections. The

local authorities have begun making dynamic efforts for the

redevelopment of the salt mines

for the creation of a modern

Salt .

Today the salt pans provide an excellent feeding stop point for many migrating birds.