Eight rooms at Agios Georgios Square, finds in the area of today’s central Meidani Square, and a route towards Xidas offer different perspectives on Kastelli. The archaeological information identifies a building, various types of finds, and several periods; the road route describes a path through the settlement and onward to the slopes east of the plain. If you are looking for accommodation in Kastelli, you can decide in advance whether to focus on the town’s history or the route description.

Archaeological Traces at Two Squares

The remains of Kastelli’s central archaeological building are located at Agios Georgios Square. It had eight rooms and remained in use until the Late Minoan IB period, after which it was destroyed. The number of rooms, period of use, and destruction refer to this specific building. The eight rooms do not describe all the archaeological remains in the settlement. The chronological boundary is also important: the building remained in use until the Late Minoan IB period.

Movable finds from the Neolithic period, architectural remains, and objects from the Early Minoan I–II and Middle Minoan I–II periods were discovered in the area of today’s central Meidani Square. This information therefore covers both different types of finds and several periods. It differs from the description of the building at Agios Georgios Square: there, the focus is on the rooms and period of use, while here it is on the finds and their chronological attribution. Anyone wishing to put Kastelli’s earlier history in context can distinguish a specific building from the finds in a square area.

Another historical layer is the Hellenistic settlement of Kastelli. It was apparently destroyed around 220 BC. This approximate date applies to this settlement and should not be confused with the destruction of the central archaeological building. The information concerns different historical reference points: the building’s period of use up to the Late Minoan IB period, and the apparent destruction of the Hellenistic settlement around 220 BC.

The Route through Kastelli and towards Xidas

The Kastelli–Kastamonitsa–Toichos route follows Kastelli’s main road from west to east through the settlement. It then leads onto the slopes east of the Kastelli plain. The description thus combines a route through the settlement with a continuation eastward.

From Kastelli’s main road, the route follows a paved, uphill road towards Xidas. Xidas is reached after about three kilometres. The distance is approximate and refers to a route, not a journey time. Check local conditions before setting out. Two specific reference points can help with your travel planning: the west-to-east route through the settlement and the climb along the paved road towards Xidas.

Discover more destinations: Minoa Pediada, Gazi, Vasilies, Kalo Chorio, Heraklion, Klima, Vorizia, Agios Myron

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