Wikiloc | Schísma Eloúndas - Olous

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Photo ofSchísma Eloúndas - Olous - Spinalonga

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Monik O

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Trail stats

Distance: 8 mi
Elevation gain: 3 ft
Technical difficulty: Moderate
Elevation loss: 3 ft
Max elevation: 82 ft
TrailRank: 33
Min elevation: -3 ft
Trail type: Loop

Moving time: 3 hours 31 minutes
Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Coordinates: 2216
Uploaded: January 25, 2023
Recorded: January 2023

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near Schísma Eloúndas, Crete (Greece)

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Itinerary description

One kilometer east of Elounda, near the windmills on the peninsula of Spinalonga under the clear blue sea, sleeps the sunken ancient city of Olous. In today’s place name of Elounda lives the ancient Greek term ‘Olous’...

Olous was one of the approximately one hundred cities, which existed in Crete already in the Minoan age from approximately 3,000 to 900 BC. Olous became later the port town of the Doric mountain town of Dreros, which controlled the north around today’s Neapoli during the first millennium BC. The city had a famous Apollo sanctuary with the bronze group of Leto, Apollo and Artemis, which are exhibited today in the Archeological Museum in Heraklion.

The height of his power reached Olous between the 5th and 2nd century BC and had about 40,000 inhabitants. The city was on the same level as Lato, Gortys, Ierapitna (Ierapetra) and Driros.
At times during its history, the city was also ruled by Knossos, as witnessed by founded stone panels there.
Olous had good relations with Ierapitna, but in constant conflict with neighboring Lato.

Olous was a very lively and prosperous democratic community, and the election of a new mayor took place every year. The city was autonomous and had its own coins and water supplies...
(www.cretetip.com)

Waypoints

Wegpunkt

Olous

Wegpunkt

Ruine

Aussichtspunkt

Spinalonga island

Spinalonga is a small island located at the entrance of Elounda lagoon and north of the Gulf of Mirabello. It has an area of 85 acres and its maximum height is 53 meters. The history of the island still inspires awe. It has been a Venetian fortress, a castle colony, a rebel refuge, a place of exile for lepers, a communication link with Cairo during the Second World War. The island has been well fortified by the Venetians during their presence in Crete. From structural and architectural point of view and from an aesthetic view of the whole landscape, the island still retains an unsurpassed beauty. Its original name was Calydon, but the Venetians named it Spinalonga from the Venetian word Spina-Longa, which means long thorn. According to a second weaker interpretation, Spinalonga derives its name by paraphrasing "Stin Elounda”, meaning “In Elounda”. Another, version tells that the island got its name from a beautiful woman named Longa that was living in the fort. Πηγή: ⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗ - Spinalonga Islet cretanbeaches.com https://www.cretanbeaches.com/en/islands-and-islets-around-crete/spinalonga-fort-islet