A Brief History Of Heraklion And Crete

As far as Mediterranean tourist destinations go, Crete has steadily been gaining in popularity. It is quickly catching up on perennially popular spots such as mainland Greece (off the coast of which it lies) and southern Spain. Similarly, as the island’s main city, the number of tourists requesting Heraklion airport transfers (as the island's main city) increases with each passing year.

What many of these tourists may not be aware of, however, is Crete’s long and storied history. While Greece’s historical significance is widely known, mostly due to the myths and legends established by early Greek society, Crete often gets mistaken for a part of Greece, and its heroes feature in the Greek myths rather than their own. Tourists first coming into the island on Heraklion airport transfers will therefore be happy to know that there is more to the city – and the island as a whole – than meets the eye, and that the region has a deep and fascinating history of its own.

Early history

The city was first established as the capital of Crete in the 9th century, by the exiled Saracen raiders who came in from Andalusia and founded the Emirate of Crete. At the time, the city was known as Chandax, or Candia - a name it would retain until as late as the 19th century, when it acquired its present denomination.

Over the following few centuries, the city would be subjected to a number of different ruling regimes. In the 10th century, the city was taken over by the Byzantines, who slaughtered the Saracens and took control of the city. Their rule would not be overthrown until roughly 250 years later, when the city was bought by the Emperor of Venice and became the seat of the Duke of Candia. In 1212, the city began to be used as a settlement for Venetian families, and over the next four centuries the inhabitants of that Italian city left an influence in the region which can be seen to this day – tourists coming in on Heraklion airport transfers will most likely drive past a couple of Venetian-style mansions, and some of the town’s main landmarks still hold Italian names.

The Ottoman Rule

In the 17th century, the city would be the stage of yet more turmoil, as the Ottoman Empire besieged it for 21 years. This is still the longest siege in recorded history, and led to the death of nearly 140.000 people. In 1669, the Ottomans finally took official control over the renamed Kandiye, in what was to prove a long and uneventful reign. When the state of Crete was officially founded, in the late 19th century, the city was still under Ottoman sovereignty, and it would not be until the 1930s that it would be incorporated into the Kingdom of Greece. By then, Candia had been given a new name, which it keeps to this day: Heraklion, after the port of Heracles, in Greece.

This fascinating city, and Crete as a whole, have a far more complex history than might initially meet the eye of tourists first coming into the island on Heraklion airport transfers.

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct. If you’re looking for Heraklion airport transfers, Shuttle Direct provide pre-booked shuttles to major destinations all over Europe. Wherever you travel, Shuttle Direct can make sure that you don’t miss your car on your holiday abroad.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.