Irákleion City Map Poster

About Irákleion

The city of Heraklion is built on the ruins of the ancient Cretan city of Lyttos, which was destroyed in a volcanic eruption. The name is derived from Ancient Greek "Heracleion" (), which means "city (that belongs) to Heracles". It has been continuously inhabited as at least a substantial village for the past 7,000 years; its present name dates only from Roman times. The first indications of human activity on Crete are to be found in Neolithic settlements and caves located around Psiloritis mountain and dating back 10,000 BC or more. In classical antiquity the island was known as Kydonia (Κυδωνια), possibly Latinized as Cydonia; under Byzantine rule it became known by its modern Greek name Ηράκλειον ("Irákleio(n)"). In English usage today this archaic form survives chiefly in poetry such as Byron's ""He clasps the crag with crooked hands"" etc.