Agios Nikolaos (HD)
Agios Nikolaos, Lassithi, Crete, Kreta, Greece.
Agios Nikolaos is een havenstad op het Griekse eiland Kreta. Het ligt in het oosten van het eiland, ten oosten van de hoofdstad van het eiland, Iraklion, en ten westen van de stad Sitia, aan de Middellandse Zee.
Agios Nikolaos of Agios Nikolaos Lasithiou (Grieks: Άγιος Νικόλαος, vertaald: Sint-Niklaas of Άγιος Νικόλαος Λασιθίου) is sedert 2011 een fusiegemeente (dimos) in de Griekse bestuurlijke regio (perifereia) Kreta.
De drie deelgemeenten (dimotiki enotita) van de fusiegemeente zijn:[2]
Agios Nikolaos (Άγιος Νικόλαος) met de wijken Elounda en Kritsa
Neapoli of Neapoli Lasithiou (Νεάπολη of Νεάπολη Λασιθίου)
Vrachasi (Βραχάσι)
De naam Agios Nikolaos betekent hetzelfde als Sint-Nicolaas in het Grieks. Dit is de beschermheilige van zeelieden. Bij de uitspraak van de naam Agios Nikolaos (Ajos Ni-kolos) ligt de hoofdklemtoon op de tweede lettergreep van Nikolaos, wat voor Nederlandstaligen wellicht tegenintuïtief kan zijn.
De stad is eenvoudig met de bus te bereiken, er rijden regelmatig bussen langs de noordkust van Kreta, en de reis van en naar Iraklion duurt een paar uur.
Dicht bij de binnenstad ligt er een klein strandje. Verder is er een meertje bij de haven, het Voulismenimeer, waaraan terrasjes zijn.
Het archeologisch museum heeft onder meer vondsten uit de Minoïsche tijd. Verder is er ook een volkenkundig museum in de stad.
Agios Nikolaos (or Aghios Nikolaos, Greek: Άγιος Νικόλαος) is a coastal town on the Greek island of Crete, lying east of the island's capital Heraklion, north of the town of Ierapetra and west of the town of Sitia. In the year 2000, the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos, which takes in part of the surrounding villages, claimed around 19,000 inhabitants. The town is a municipality of Crete region, and sits partially upon the ruins of the ancient city of Lato pros Kamara.
Agios Nikolaos was settled in the late Bronze Age by Dorian occupants of Lato, at a time when the security of the Lato hillfort became a lesser concern and access to the harbour at Agios Nikolaos became sufficiently attractive.[1]
The name Agios Nikolaos means Saint Nicholas, and its stress lies on the second syllable of the word Nikolaos. Agios Nikolaos or Ayios Nikolaos (alternative transliterations of the Greek Άγιος Νικόλαος) is observably a common placename in Greece and Cyprus, since Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors and of all of Greece.
Agios Nikolaos is probably best known as a tourist town that serves as a hub to the twenty or so small villages and farms that make up that part of Lassithi. Tourist attractions include the small lagoon Lake Voulismeni, small beaches in the town, the tiny island Agioi Pantes, the archaeological museum, the local flora exhibition Iris and numerous fairs. Tourism is mainly West European with Greek tourism concentrating in mid August. The lagoon features a small park with a trail, traditional fishing boats, ducks, pigeons, an amphitheatre and many cafès.
Agios Nikolaos is accessible from the mainland and the whole of Europe through Nikos Kazantzakis airport, and the many daily ferry services in Heraklion (64km). You can also travel through Sitia airport boarding onto a domestic or charter flight or through it's harbour (67 km). Recently the town became host to a department of a Technological Educational Institute (TEI), offering tourism-related courses.
Monastery of St. George Selinari Crete
Photos I shot of St. George Selinari Monastery in Crete set to an Indian cut called Mumbai Mood (I bet George Harrison would dig this tune—sounds like something from Revolver).
The male monastery of Saint George Selinaris is built in the heart of the gorge Selinari, near Vrachasi village and Neapolis. Next to the monastery passes the National Road connecting Heraklion to Agios Nikolaos, which is the main reason why Selinaris receives many visitors daily. For the Cretans it is considered bad luck to cross the canyon without stopping at St. George. This has prevailed since the past, when the travellers stopped here to rest with their animals.
According to tradition, a monk from Rhodes, named Nikolaos, was led by God to a place where he found the icon of St. George and thus he built a church. Nikolaos lived at Selinari till his death, when he was buried in a small cave at the top of Anavlohos mount, which was carved by him. Several years after his death, when a boat from Rhodes visited Crete, the sailors were led by a shining star to the tomb of Nikolaos. They understood that it was a divine hint and transferred his bones to Rhodes. Anavlohos cave is located on the east side of the gorge, just opposite the monastery, and you can locate the exact position by looking up the gorge walls and see a big cross. The cave is accessible on foot, but climbing the steep path requires good physical condition.
Finally, during the Ottoman Era, the Turks probably tried to destroy the monastery, as it is evidenced by the three bullets that have stuck in the old icon of Saint George, which Is also considered miraculous.
It is worth stopping at the monastery and admiring the beauty of the lush canyon and cool off at the local spring. The monks are very friendly and ready to tell you the history of the monastery. The main body of the central church is modern, while the chapel of St. George (the initial temple built by Nikolaos) has also modern wall paintings. Here also operates a modern nursing home that has been built on the ruins of the old cells of the monastery.
Source:
Lychnostatis: the Open Air Folklore Museum of Crete
LYCHNOSTATIS: The open-air museum of folklore locatated in Hersonissos, in Crete. It promotes the understanding and awareness of the Cretan folk cultural heritage. The museum holds regular activities, including Traditional September, an annual public event as well as Greek dancing performances, audio-visual shows (dioramas), grape-feasts, wine-tasting and several others. The museum is open for a daily visit with a guided tour from 09.30-14.00 (closed on Saturdays). Entrance fee: 2,5 Euro.
Το μουσείο 'ΛΥΧΝΟΣΤΑΤΗΣ' βρίσκεται στο Λιμάνι Χερσονήσου πλάι στη θάλασσα. Είναι ένας χώρος διατήρησης και προβολής της Παραδοσιακής ζωής και του Λαικού Πολιτισμού της Κρήτης.Δεν είναι απλά ένα ακόμα Λαογραφικό Μουσείο αλλά ένας τόπος ΕΝΕΡΓΟΥΣ Λαογραφίας και ΦΥΣΙΟΓΝΩΣΙΑΣ της Κρήτης πρωτότυπος και ξεχωριστός στο είδος του μέσα στον Ελλαδικό χώρο. Είναι ανοιχτός για πρωινή επίσκεψη-ξενάγηση από 09.30-14.00μ.μ (Σάββατο κλειστά).
May 16, 2010. Camera work: Irene.