Agios Nicolaos [2] [3] , also Agios Nicolaos [4] ( Greek Άγιος Νικόλαος [1] ), in the everyday life of the Cretans it is used simply Ayios ( Άγιος ) - a city in Greece , the administrative center of the eponymous community (Dima) and the peripheral Lacition units in the periphery of Crete . It is located on the northern coast of Crete , on the western side of the Mirabelon Bay , 63 km east of the capital of Heraklion , north of the city of Ierapetra (36 km) and west of the city of Sitia (73 km). The name of the city comes from the Byzantine church located in the Gulf of Agios Nikolaos. The oldest known name is Mandraki ( Μαντράκι ). Another famous name used by the inhabitants of the surrounding villages is Yalos ( Γιαλός ).
| City | |
| Agios Nikolaos | |
|---|---|
| Greek Άγιος Νικόλαος | |
 | |
| A country |  Greece |
| Status | The administrative center of the peripheral unit and community |
| Periphery | Crete |
| Peripheral unit | Lasition |
| Community | Agios Nikolaos |
| History and Geography | |
| Square | |
| Timezone | and |
| Population | |
| Population | 11 421 [1] people ( 2011 ) |
| Nationalities | Greeks |
| Denominations | Orthodox |
| Official language | Greek |
| Digital identifiers | |
| Telephone code | +30 28410 |
| Postcode | |
| Car code | AN |
According to the 2001 census, the population is 11,421 residents [1] .
Content
History
Antiquity
The modern city is based on the port of the ancient city of Dorians - Lato , located 3.5 km north of the village of Kritz . These two cities constituted one administrative unit in the III century BC. e. They worshiped the same deity - Ilithia , the patroness of women in childbirth, and also had one coin, on one side of which Ilithia was depicted, and on the other Hermes with the words ΛΑΤΙΩΝ .
The port of the city of Lato, developed during this period as a large settlement and economic center, while the city of Lato itself began to fade. In the area of the river were found statues, inscriptions and graves dating from this period. Graves from graves, many of which are of great interest, are exhibited at the local archaeological museum.
In the first Byzantine period continued to exist as an important city.
The Venetian Period
At the beginning of the 13th century, presumably in 1206, a fortress was built on the hill, presumably by the Genoese Enrico Pescatore [5] . The fortress was named Mirabelon and gave the name of the province and the bay. The fortress was destroyed by an earthquake in 1303 , but the Venetians rebuilt it again. In 1374 it is referred to as Castro Mirabelli , which housed warehouses for storing salt from the salt baths of Elounda , which was further exported to the rest of Europe . The fortress was abandoned and turned into a warehouse after the uprising against the Venetians [5] [6] .
The fortress was destroyed by Turkish pirates in 1537 , but again rebuilt according to the project of Michele Sanmikeli . Around the fortress a settlement developed. In the census of Petros Kastofilakas, the settlement is referred to as Mirabello proprio with a population of 753 inhabitants, mainly fishermen. Since 1630 it is referred to as the Mirabello Fortress, and the settlement in the Greek language is called Vulizmeni ( Βουλισμένη ), from the name of Lake Vulizmeni [6] .
In 1646 , during the Turkish-Venetian War , the head of the garrison of the fortress Colonelo Baldela hands the fortress to the Turks who surrounded him. This was considered a betrayal and Baldela was hanged. The Venetians recaptured the fort, but because they could not hold it in their hands, it was destroyed by them after the Spinalonga fortress was rebuilt, which met their need for protection [5] .
In 1671, it is mentioned in the Turkish census as Nefs Meranblo . The Egyptian census of 1834 is not mentioned, since the settlement was abandoned by residents. However, the port functioned to export the local carob product. In 1845, Victor Rolin mentions that there were 4 destroyed churches that were used as a warehouse for a carob [6] .
Modern Settlement
A modern settlement was created during the independence of Crete in 1866 by settlers from Kritz and Sfakia . The ruins of the fortress were used as building materials for new buildings. The first time is mentioned in 1881 , when 87 Christians and 8 Turks lived in the settlement. Since ancient times, called Mandraki, however, the settlement takes the name Agios Nikolaos, from the small Byzantine church of the 9th century, which is located on the Amoudi Peninsula, about two kilometers north of the city. In 1900, Agios Nikolaos became the center of the Kritz community, and in 1904, the center of Nom Lasithion was transferred to Agios Nikolaos from Neapolis [7] .
In 1928, 1,124 residents lived in Agios Nikolaos and since then there has been a steady population growth: in 1940 - 2,481 inhabitants, in 1951 - 3,167 inhabitants, in 1961 - 3,709 inhabitants, in 1971 - 5,002 residents, in 1981 - 8130 inhabitants. At the same time, the city becomes a major tourist center [6] .
Economics
The economy of the region is based on tourism , growing olive trees and livestock farming .
Woolizmeni Lake
Lake Vulizmeni (in the everyday life of the inhabitants of Agios Nikolaos simply “Lake”) is a small lagoon in the city center. Many ancient myths mention this lake, the oldest of which say that Athena and Artemis swam in this lake. Two urban legends are also associated with the lake. The first says that the lake has no bottom, and the second - that the lake is connected to a volcano on the island of Thira . The last myth is based on the fact that during the last eruption on Thira, the waters of the lake began to storm and flood the buildings on its shore. At the bottom of the lake is military equipment left by German soldiers before they left the island after World War II [7] .
Agios Nikolaos Community
The Agios Nikolaos community consists of 7 settlements and 2 islands. The population of 12,638 inhabitants according to the 2011 census [1] . The area is 19.204 square kilometers [8] .
| Name | Population (2011) [1] , people |
|---|---|
| Ayi Pandes (island) | 0 |
| Agios Nikolaos | 11 421 |
| Adzimbraga | 52 |
| Elinika | 114 |
| Katsikiya | 297 |
| Keratidia | 28 |
| Micronison (island) | 0 |
| Xirokambos | 505 |
| Pisidos | 221 |
Population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 8370 [9] |
| 2001 | 10 464 [9] |
| 2011 | ↗ 11 421 [1] |
Attractions
- Park with pine trees and tamarisk above the lake with panoramic views of the city. In this park, a stone trail begins, which runs between trees and ends on the north side of the lake, where many boats are moored, mainly fishing boats.
- Spinalonga is an island north of the city that was abandoned by its last inhabitants - people with leprosy. Many buildings and houses have been preserved as archaeological sites. Travel agencies are organized here that transport tourists from Elounda to the island.
- Agios Nikolaos Marina, where many sailing races take place.
- "Cornucopia" ( Greek Κέρας της Αμάλθειας ) - a sculpture built by local sculptors, brothers Sotiriadis.
- Nearhu Square ( Greek Πλατεία Νεάρχου ), decorated with mosaic with marine motifs.
- The city has a large number of stairs. The city is built on hills and stairs are its characteristic feature. Many of them were designed by renowned local architects.
- Kitroplatia ( Greek Κιτροπλατεία , Citrus Square) is an area with a small beach on which a stone path begins, which runs along the coastline and ends in the area of Marina Agios Nikolaos. The name of this area was given by the trade of citrus fruits developed in the past century ( κιτρο - citrus fruits). Due to the great depth of the sea on this beach, even before the port appeared here, merchant ships exporting citrus fruits moored here.
- Agios Kharalambos Hill ( Greek: Ο λόφος του Αγίου Χαραλάμπους ), it has the eponymous church, next to which a pine grove grows. The hill offers a beautiful panoramic view of the city and the bay.
- Ayi Pandes and Micronison Islands. These islands are located just a few meters from each other, but the flora and fauna of these islands is completely different.
- Archaeological Museum
- Ethnographical museum
- The church on the central square of Eleftherios Venizelos , painted in 1980 in the traditional Byzantine style.
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 Απογραφή Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2011. Μόνιμος πληθυσμός (Greek) (link not available) . Ελληνική Στατιστική Αρχή (2011). Date of treatment June 4, 2017. Archived December 25, 2013.
- ↑ Agios Nikolaos // Dictionary of geographical names of foreign countries / ed. ed. A.M. Komkov . - 3rd ed., Revised. and add. - M .: Nedra , 1986.- S. 11.
- ↑ Greece. Reference card. Scale 1: 1 000 000 / Editor-in-chief Y. A. Topchiyan. - M .: Roskartografiya, 2001. - (Countries of the world. Europe). - 2000 copies.
- ↑ Agios Nikolaos // Dictionary of geographical names of foreign countries / ed. ed. A.M. Komkov . - 3rd ed., Revised. and add. - M .: Nedra , 1986.- S. 9.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Castel Mirabello (Greek) . www.cretanbeaches.com. Date accessed August 21, 2017.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Σπανάκης, Στέργιος. Πόλεις και χωριά της Κρήτης στο πέρασμα των αιώνων. - Ηράκλειο: Γραφικές Τέχνες Γ. Δετοράκης, 1993. - Vol. Α. - P. 73-76.
- ↑ 1 2 Νίκος Ζερβονικολάκης. Η λίμνη των Μύθων (Greek) . ως3 Μηνιαίο Περιοδικό. Date accessed August 21, 2017.
- ↑ Απογραφή πληθυσμού - κατοικιών της 18ης μαρτίου 2001 (μόνιμος πληθυσμός) (Greek) . - Πειραιάς: Εθνική στατιστική υπηρεσία της Ελλάδας , 2009. - Τ. I. - Σ. 425 . - ISSN 1106-5761 .
- ↑ 1 2 Μόνιμος και Πραγματικός Πληθυσμός της Ελλάδος. Σύνολο Ελλάδος, νομοί, δήμοι / κοινότητες, δημοτικα / κοινοτικά διαμερίσμα και οικισμοί. Απογραφές πληθυσμού 2001 και 1991 (Greek) (unavailable link) . Ελληνική Στατιστική Αρχή . Date of treatment June 22, 2017. Archived July 16, 2006.