Administrative Region : Crete
Regional unit : Heraklion
Keratokampos (residents 156 in 2001) is a seaside village in the province of Viannos and the Municipal Department of Viannos in the municipality of Viannos, in the prefecture of Heraklion. It is a port of Ano Viannos. Its length is about 7 km. Its beach is an attraction and the gorge of Kavousi ends there. [1] The village is new, as it was founded after the 50's. The main occupation of the inhabitants is the cultivation of vegetables (cucumber, tomato, pepper), greenhouses and tourism. The main church is that of Agios Panteleimon.
Physical examination
To the north of its shore is the valley of the river Keratokambitis. This river follows a path through the wild gorge of Portela, which continues to a smaller gorge. This gorge is called "Tou Piskopi to Pidima" by a legend that survives from the period of Ottoman rule. Legend has it that a bishop who was riding a horse escaped from the Turks who were chasing him. As soon as he reached the edge of the gorge, his horse jumped away and managed to cross. Thus, the bishop was saved and it is said that as a token of gratitude to St. George (to whom he attributed salvation) he built the current church of St. George.
The tropical tamarisk plant, which lives on seawater, thrives in the area.
Historical data
Theories about the origin of the name
There are various theories about the origin of the name of the settlement. According to Sprat, a naval traveler (19th century), he comes from the ancient city of Keraia. Others claim that the name came from the horns, called carob trees, which are located behind the Keratokampos valley. Another hypothesis connects the name with the limestone rock 617m., Which is located north of the bay, the so-called Horn. This excitement is visible from all places and from the old days it attracted the attention of visitors. From its top one can see the whole area of Viannos.
Archaeological value
The wider area has significant archaeological value. Nearby, the Minoan goddess of childbirth, Eileithyia, was worshiped. Also, the oldest name for carob is keratonia or antenna, which confirms somewhat one of the versions of the origin of the name.
Archaeological excavations have uncovered traces of the ruins of a Venetian fortress, believed to have been built to deal with pirate raids. According to one view, the ruins of Keratos or Vigla probably contain the ruins of the ancient city of Keraia, which is based on archaeological finds, as well as ancient artifacts found in the Nychteridospilio, the largest cave in the area.
Contemporary history
During the period of the Revolutions against the Turks, ammunition was transported to Keratokampos. His port also served as a landing site for raiders. It is noteworthy that in the last century there was a customs office in this place, with an appointed customs officer.
Keratokampos began to be built and inhabited from the 1950s onwards. Until then, the only thing that existed in the area were some small buildings-warehouses, which served the merchants in the storage of their products (oil, locusts, citrus, etc.). These buildings were known as Magatzedes and were created in 1900-1930.
During this period (early 20th century), the settlement was a Skala (small shopping center) and was founded by the Cretan State as a station for the loading and unloading of goods to and from other cities and settlements of Crete, as the road network was not sufficient then .
The first telephone of the area was later installed in Magatzedes, in order to serve the communication.
Gradually, after the 1980s, the tourist infrastructure developed and Keratokampos, like neighboring Kastri, receives many tourists annually.
Cultural elements
A cultural association is active in the village, under the name "I Vigla". It was founded by residents and friends in 1996 and aims at quality intervention in the natural environment of the area, in addition to the promotion of the place.
The musical tradition of Keratokampos is dominated by mandolin and violin, influenced by the Sitian School.
Bibliography
Tourist Guide, published by the Municipality of Viannos.
References
D. Viannou / Canyoning in the gorge of Kavousi [dead link]
The Most Beautiful Beaches of Crete
| Community Ano Viannos |
|---|
| Agia Moni (Αγία Μονή, η) |
| Agios Nikolaos (Άγιος Νικόλαος, ο) |
| Ano Viannos (Άνω Βιάννος, η) |
| Kapsali (Καψάλη, η) |
| Keratokampos (Κερατόκαμπος, ο) |
| Loutraki (Λουτράκιον, το) |
| Monobouka (Μονομπούκα, η) |
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