Rethymno ( el, Ρέθυμνο, , also ''Rethimno'', ''Rethymnon'', ''Réthymnon'', and ''Rhíthymnos'') is a city in
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 ...
on the island of
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 ...
. It is the capital of
Rethymno regional unit, and has a population of more than 30,000 inhabitants (near 40,000 for the municipal unit). It is a former Latin Catholic bishopric as Retimo(–Ario) and former Latin
titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...
.
Rethymno was originally built during the
Minoan civilization
The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age Aegean civilization on the island of Crete and other Aegean Islands, whose earliest beginnings were from 3500BC, with the complex urban civilization beginning around 2000BC, and then declining from 1450BC ...
(ancient
Rhithymna and
Arsinoe). The city was prominent enough to mint its own coins and maintain urban growth. One of these coins is today depicted as the crest of the town: two
dolphin
A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the ...
s in a circle.
History
![Vue de la forteresse à Réthymnon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Vue_de_la_forteresse_%C3%A0_R%C3%A9thymnon.JPG)
This region as a whole is rich with ancient history, most notably through the
Minoan
The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age Aegean civilization on the island of Crete and other Aegean Islands, whose earliest beginnings were from 3500BC, with the complex urban civilization beginning around 2000BC, and then declining from 1450B ...
civilisation centred at
Knossos
Knossos (also Cnossos, both pronounced ; grc, Κνωσός, Knōsós, ; Linear B: ''Ko-no-so'') is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and has been called Europe's oldest city.
Settled as early as the Neolithic period, the na ...
east of Rethymno. Rethymno itself began a period of growth when the
Venetian
Venetian often means from or related to:
* Venice, a city in Italy
* Veneto, a region of Italy
* Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area
Venetian and the like may also refer to:
* Venetian language, a Romance language s ...
conquerors of the island decided to put an intermediate commercial station between
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 ...
and
Chania, acquiring its own
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
and nobility in the process. Today's old town (''palia poli'') was almost entirely built by the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
. It is one of the best-preserved old towns in Crete.
From circa 1250 the city was the seat of the Latin
Diocese of Retimo, which was renamed Retimo–Ario after the absorption in 1551 of the
Diocese of Ario and as suppressed only after the Turkish conquest.
The town still maintains its old aristocratic appearance, with its buildings dating from the 16th century, arched doorways, stone staircases,
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
and Hellenic-Roman remains, the small Venetian harbour and narrow streets. The Venetian
Loggia houses the information office of the
Ministry of Culture and Sports. A Wine Festival is held there annually at the beginning of July. Another festival, in memory of the destruction of the
Arkadi Monastery, is held on 7–8 November.
The city's Venetian-era citadel, the
Fortezza of Rethymno, is one of the best-preserved castles in Crete. Other monuments include the
Neradje Mosque (the Municipal Odeon arts centre), the Great Gate ( or "Porta Guora"), the Piazza Rimondi and the Loggia.
The town was captured by the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
in 1646 during the
Cretan War (1645–69) Cretan War may refer to multiple wars involving the island of Crete, including:
*Cretan War (205–200 BC), a war between King Philip V of Macedon and Rhodes
*Cretan War (1645–69), a war between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire
See ...
and they ruled it for almost three centuries. The town, called ''Resmo'' in Turkish, was the centre of a ''
sanjak
Sanjaks (liwāʾ) (plural form: alwiyāʾ)
* Armenian language, Armenian: նահանգ (''nahang''; meaning "province")
* Bulgarian language, Bulgarian: окръг (''okrǔg''; meaning "county", "province", or "region")
* el, Διοίκησι ...
'' (administrative part of a province) during Ottoman rule.
During the
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete (german: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, el, Μάχη της Κρήτης), codenamed Operation Mercury (german: Unternehmen Merkur), was a major Axis airborne and amphibious operation during World War II to capture the island ...
(20–30 May 1941), the
Battle of Rethymno was fought between
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
paratroopers and the
Second Australian Imperial Force and
Hellenic Army
The Hellenic Army ( el, Ελληνικός Στρατός, Ellinikós Stratós, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece. The term ''Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is the ...
. Although initially unsuccessful, the Germans won the battle after receiving reinforcements from
Maleme in the Northwestern part of the island.
Today the city's main income is from tourism, many new facilities having been built in the past 20 years. Agriculture is also notable, especially for
olive oil
Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...
and other Mediterranean products.
Municipality
![Aquila Rithymna Beach - 20](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Aquila_Rithymna_Beach_-_20.000_q.m.jpg)
The municipality of Rethymno was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units:
*
Arkadi
Arkadi ( el, Αρκάδι) is a former municipality in the Rethymno (regional unit), Rethymno regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Rethymno, of which it is a municipal unit. The municip ...
*
Lappa
*
Nikiforos Fokas
Nikiforos Fokas ( el, Νικηφόρος Φωκάς) is a former municipality in the Rethymno regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Rethymno, of which it is a municipal unit. The munic ...
*Rethymno
;Population of Rethymno
Culture
Rethymno is home to the following museums:
*
Archaeological Museum of Rethymno The Archaeological Museum of Rethymno is a museum in Rethymno, Crete, Greece.
Larnax, Early Minoan, hunting scene, AM Rethymno, 076112.jpg, Early Minoan larnax.
Larnax, hunting of deer and ibex, deer, dog, Prepalatial, AM, Rethymno, 076113.jpg, Mi ...
*Historical and Folklore Museum of Rethymno
*Municipal Gallery "L. Kanakakis"
*The Frantzeskaki Collection
*
The
Treasure Hunt of Rethymno The treasure hunt in Rethymno is a game played by local people in Crete and takes place two weeks before Carnival. Rethymno currently holds the Guinness World Record for Treasure Hunt.
All day long game
During this long game, which lasts for one ...
is a game played by local people and takes place two weeks before
Carnival
Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...
.
Literature
Pandelis Prevelakis
Pandelis Prevelakis ( el, Παντελής Πρεβελάκης, sometimes transliterated Panteles Prevelakes; 18 February 1909 – 15 March 1986) was a Greek novelist, poet, dramatist and essayist—one of the leading Greek prose writers of the "G ...
wrote ''Το χρονικό μιας πολιτείας'' (1937), ''The Chronicle of a Town'', a nostalgic depiction of Rethymno from the period of the
Cretan State (1898) to the
expulsion of the
Cretan Turks
The Cretan Muslims ( el, Τουρκοκρητικοί or , or ; tr, Giritli, , or ; ar, أتراك كريت) or Cretan Turks were the Muslim inhabitants of the island of Crete. Their descendants settled principally in Turkey, the Dodecanese ...
(1924).
Sports
Rethymno hosted the international athletics meeting known as
Vardinogianneia. The athletics meeting stopped in 2012 due to Greek financial crisis. Rethymno has many sport clubs with presence in Panhellenic championships of various sports. Below is alist of the main sport clubs of Rethymno.
Education
In the Rethymno Campus of the University of Crete are located the School of Philosophy, the School of Education, the School of
Social
Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not.
Etymology
The word "social" derives from ...
,
Economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...
and
Political Sciences
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
, and the University Library of the
University of Crete
The University of Crete (UoC; Greek: Πανεπιστήμιο Κρήτης) is a multi-disciplinary, research-oriented institution in Crete, Greece, located in the cities of Rethymno (official seat) and Heraklion, and one of the country's most aca ...
. On a yearly basis, there are about 8.000 students studying at "Galos" where the Campus and the Academic Institute of Mediterranean Studies are located. Also in Rethymnon is located the School of Music and Optoacoustic Technologies of th
Hellenic Mediterranean University Finally, in Rethymno, Tria Monastiria area is located the international researc
Institute of Plasma Physics and Laserref> of the
Hellenic Mediterranean University which is the access point of the National Research Facilit
HELLAS-CH.
Geography
Climate
Notable locals
; Royalty and politics
*
Georgios Chortatzis (1545–1610), dramatist in Cretan verse
*
Ahmed Resmî Efendi (1700–1783), Ottoman statesman, author and ambassador
*
Nikolaos Sifounakis (born 1949), Greek politician
*
Emetullah Rabia Gülnuş Sultan (1642–1715), valide sultan
*
Emmanouil Tsouderos
Emmanouil Tsouderos ( el, Εμμανουήλ Τσουδερός, also transliterated as ''Emmanuel Tsouderos''; 19 July 1882 – 10 February 1956) was a political and financial figure of Greece. During World War II, he was the internationally r ...
(1882-1956), former
Prime Minister of Greece
The prime minister of the Hellenic Republic ( el, Πρωθυπουργός της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας, Prothypourgós tis Ellinikís Dimokratías), colloquially referred to as the prime minister of Greece ( el, Πρωθυ ...
; Other
*
Stylianos Harkianakis
Stylianos Harkianakis ( el, Στυλιανός Χαρκιανάκης; 29 December 1935 – 25 March 2019) was the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Australia and Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. He served as inaugural and perm ...
(1935 - 2019), Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Australia
*
Athanasius III of Constantinople
Athanasius III Patellarios (born Alexios Patellarios, el, Αλέξιος Πατελλάριος, russian: Алексий Пателла́рий; 1597 – 5 April 1654) was the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1634, 1635 and 1652. Before his patr ...
, Patriarch
*
Pandelis Prevelakis
Pandelis Prevelakis ( el, Παντελής Πρεβελάκης, sometimes transliterated Panteles Prevelakes; 18 February 1909 – 15 March 1986) was a Greek novelist, poet, dramatist and essayist—one of the leading Greek prose writers of the "G ...
(1909–1986), writer
*
Manolis Xexakis (born 1949), poet and writer
*
Nick Dandolos
Nikolaos Andreas Dandolos ( el, Νικόλαος Ανδρέας Δάνδολος; ; April 27, 1883 – December 25, 1966), commonly known as Nick the Greek, was a Greek professional gambler and high roller.
Early life
Dandolos was the son of ...
(1883–1966), professional poker player
International relations
Rethymno is
twinned with :
*
Ayia Napa
Ayia Napa ( el, Άγια Νάπα tr, Aya Napa, ), officially romanised Agia Napa, is a tourist resort at the far eastern end of the southern coast of Cyprus.
Etymology
The name Ayia Napa is derived from a Venetian-era monastery of the same ...
,
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
*
Castenaso
Castenaso ( Bolognese: ; la, Castrum Nasicae) is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is located around away from Bologna, the capital of Emilia Romagna.
Sports
Associazione Sportiva Dilettantist ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
*
Pushkin
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (; rus, links=no, Александр Сергеевич ПушкинIn pre-Revolutionary script, his name was written ., r=Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈpuʂkʲɪn, ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
Gallery
File:Rethymno venetian port and fort.jpg, Panorama of the city
File:Fontaine Rimondi (Réthymnon).JPG, Rimondi Fountain
File:Loggia Rethymnou.JPG, Venetian loggia
File:Porte Guora à Réthymnon.JPG, Guora Gate (Megali Pyli), old city gate
File:Οδός Βερνάδου 3080.JPG, View of the old town
File:Rethymno Sultan Ibrahim 19.JPG, Sultan Ibrahim mosque
File:L'église catholique de Réthymnon.JPG, The catholic church of Agios Antonios
File:Eleftherios Venizelos in Rethymno.JPG, Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Kyriakou Venizelos ( el, Ελευθέριος Κυριάκου Βενιζέλος, translit=Elefthérios Kyriákou Venizélos, ; – 18 March 1936) was a Greek statesman and a prominent leader of the Greek national liberation movem ...
statue
See also
*
History of Crete
The history of Crete goes back to the 7th millennium BC, preceding the ancient Minoan civilization by more than four millennia. The palace-based Minoan civilization was the first civilization in Europe.
After the Minoan civilization was devastat ...
*
List of settlements in the Rethymno regional unit
This is a list of settlements in the Rethymno regional unit, Greece.
* Achlades
* Adele
* Agia Foteini
* Agia Galini
* Agia Paraskevi
* Agia
* Agios Ioannis, Agios Vasileios
* Agios Ioannis, Amari
* Agios Ioannis, Mylopotamos
* Agios Kons ...
*
Rethymnian Brewery
Rethymnian Brewery ( el, Ρεθυμνιακή Ζυθοποιϊα) is a microbrewery situated near Armeni, Rethymno, Crete, Greece.
The company produces two types of beer using traditional organic methods and according to the German ''Reinhei ...
References
;Notes
External links
*
* http://www.explorerrethymno.gr
Prefecture of Rethymno - Official websiteRethymnoThe Official website of the Greek National Tourism Organisation
{{Authority control
Mediterranean port cities and towns in Greece
Greek prefectural capitals
Populated places in Rethymno (regional unit)