A memorial in Pigi’s village square commemorates those from Pigi and Agios Dimitrios who fell in the major battles of the 20th century. Busts at the eastern entrance to the village and the home of writer Pantelis Prevelakis are also cultural landmarks in the area. Route 2 of the Arkadi guide also passes through Pigi.
Memorial sites and cultural landmarks in Pigi
The busts at the eastern entrance to the village depict Abbot Dionysios Psaroudakis and gendarme Nikolaos Giapintzakis, who was executed by the Germans. The memorial in the village square has a different, communal significance: it commemorates those who fell from Pigi and Agios Dimitrios. Together with the home of writer Pantelis Prevelakis in the picturesque lanes, these places give Pigi a range of historical and cultural landmarks.
If you plan to follow Route 2 of the Arkadi guide, check the latest route information. The route passes through Pigi, among other places; this does not imply anything about its current condition. Northwest of Pigi, outside the village, stands the single-nave Byzantine church of Agios Nikolaos tou Nispita. It dates from the 14th century, and remnants of wall paintings have been preserved inside. Thus, the local area brings together memorial sites, a literary landmark and a building from the Byzantine period, without needing to combine them into a single sightseeing route.
Culture and coast in the wider Rethymno destination
Rethymno is the wider destination, with its Old Town serving as a distinct urban focus. It is designated a protected historic monument and traditional settlement. Its urban layout took shape during the Venetian period and was later altered under Turkish rule. The historic center lies below the Venetian Fortezza fortress. When planning your trip, you can distinguish between the memorial sites in Pigi and the historic urban areas of Rethymno.
Since 1991, the Archaeological Museum of Rethymno has been housed in a pentagonal building in front of the Fortezza’s main entrance. Its exhibitions present the history of the prefecture from the Neolithic period to Roman times. The Historical and Folklore Museum of Rethymno offers a different focus: housed in a 17th-century Venetian mansion, it displays traditional crafts and folk art in five permanent exhibition rooms. The two museums thus offer different thematic perspectives on the region’s history.
The archaeological remains across the wider Rethymno destination also reach far back in time. The Armeni necropolis is an extensive Late Minoan cemetery where more than 220 tombs have been excavated. The family tombs contained several deceased people, and grave goods provide information about the art, religion and social organization of the time. The Museum of the Archaeological Site of Eleftherna is the first archaeological site museum in Crete. Its exhibitions explore life in ancient Eleftherna from the final millennia of the 4th millennium BC through the Byzantine period.
At Arkadi Monastery, the history of the church building spans different periods: the double-aisled Church of Saint Constantine and the Transfiguration of the Savior was built in 1587 and features elements of Renaissance architecture. Following the Revolution of 1866–1869, the monastery became a symbol of freedom. These historical landmarks add further themes, explicitly located in the wider Rethymno destination, to Pigi’s local memorial sites.
As well as cultural sites, Rethymno offers a connection to the coast. The municipality’s coastline includes the Venetian harbor and Rethymno Beach. The beach is twelve kilometers long, starting at the historic city center and stretching east to Scaleta; its sand is fine-grained and light brown. The Rethymno Renaissance Festival takes place every summer, featuring music, theater and dance performances as well as art exhibitions. Carnival is also a traditional event, with the parade organized annually by volunteers. If you would like to plan your trip around such events, check the specific dates in advance.
For the wider travel overview: Rethymnon.
