Charakas ( el, Χάρακας) is a village in the municipal unit of
Asterousia
Asterousia ( el, Αστερούσια) is a former municipality in the Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Archanes-Asterousia
Archanes–Asterousia ( el, Αρχάνες- ...
on
Crete
Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
with about 1000 inhabitants. It is about 45 km south from
Heraklion
Heraklion or Iraklion ( ; el, Ηράκλειο, , ) is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete and capital of Heraklion regional unit. It is the fourth largest city in Greece with a population of 211,370 (Urban A ...
, which is the largest city of Crete. The village lies on the foothills of
Asterousia mountain and near (15 km) the south coast of Crete, behind the mountain
Libyan Sea
The Libyan Sea (Greek , Latin ''Libycum Mare'', Arabic البحر الليبي) is the portion of the Mediterranean Sea north of the African coast of ancient ''Libya'', i.e. Cyrenaica, and Marmarica
(the coast of what is now eastern Libya and ...
.
Charakas has a great rock (haraki), 35m high, with a temple and a castle. Also in the front of Haraki is the Heroon, a monument of warriors and a church of
St Panteleymon with a great campanile.
History
During the period of Venice domination the name of village was San Giovanni, but renamed in Harakas, because there is a great rock in the west side, 35 meters high and about 60m in the width with the name (''haraki'').On the rock is built a castle and a church The rock is accessed only from the east and it is a monolithic barrow.
Municipality Department Charakas
This department(Δ.Δ. Χάρακα) is completed from the small villages :
Agia Fotia (Αγιά Φωτιά)
8,at elevation 275 m to the West(2 km from Harakas),
Doraki (Δωράκι)
0to the East(1.5 km), at elevation 310μ.
External links
Villages of Municipality Asterousion Harakas Asterousioncultural club Harakas
Populated places in Heraklion (regional unit)
{{Crete-geo-stub