|
Heraklio
Updated: 2004-06-28 15:28
Heraklio, today the city with the longest history in Crete, is named for
Hercules on mount Ida. In Minoan times it was the main harbour for Knossos, and
the place where the ancient Cretans built a sanctuary to honour their great
local hero. The whole area was dedicated to him (Strabo, X, 476, 7) and the city
retained its name until the Roman occupation.
In a few months, modern Heraklio will host the football competition for the
Olympic Games, thus the title ‘Olympic city’ to its laurels over the years.
Crete has been associated with the Olympic Games from time immemorial. It was
here that the Idaean Dactyls – the ‘fingers of mount Ida’, aka Kouretes – grew
up and were chosen by earth-goddess Rhea to look after the baby Zeus. There were
five ’fingers’ - Hercules, Paionaios, Epimedes, Iasios, and Idas.
The legend has it that Idaean Hercules and his four brothers arrived at
Olympia from Crete, The local environment and the plain on which the ancient
stadium was to stand strongly appealed to them. Hercules decided to hold running
races against his brothers, the winner to be crowned with a branch of wild
olive. This makes Hercules the founder of the Olympic Games. The name ‘Olympic’
was his, to show that the Games were in honour of Zeus (of Olympus). All this
friom Strabo’s Geography (355,20).
During the Arab occupation, the name of the city became al-Khandak, referring
to the moat round the walls. When the Byzantines liberated Crete from the
infidel, they knew the city as ‘Chandakas’, retaining the essence of its Arab
name. Later, the Venetians modified this to ‘Candia’, adopted by the Turks when
they in turn occupied the island. But Greek inhabitants were soon calling the
city ‘Megalo Kastro’ (Greatchester) because of its massive new fortifications.
It was in the early nineteenth century that the long-forgotten name Heraklio,
honouring Idaean Hercules, was revived and once more adopted, bringing history
full circle.
Heraklio - Olympic City
The modern city of Heraklio is historically connected with the Olympic Games,
and with football and sport in general. The choice of Heraklio for the Olympic
football torunament was not haphazard; on the contrary, it is a tribute to
football’s long history.
The Olympic city of Heraklio is preparing with all speed for the 2004 Olympic
Games. In consultation with the Ministry of Culture and the General Secretariat
for the Olympic Games, the municipality has undertaken the task of coordinating
and monitoring basic planning, works, and activities for the Greece 2004
programme. Various technical works and aesthetic and functional improvements are
changing the look of the city radically, and it is hoped that they will also
improve the quality of life both for visitors and for the local population.
The city’s Kazantzakis airport and the seaport, main entry points to the city
and indeed to Greece - are undergoing substantial renovation. Modern road
junctions are being built at key points, to improve access to the Olympic Venues
and the Heraklio University Hospital. The road to Knossos that linking this
celebrated archaeological site with the city centre is being rebuilt;
restoration work is also being carried out in the coastal zone, on the main road
artery in the west of the city leading from the airport to the Olympic Hotel and
to the Pankritio Stadium. A ring road is also under way to reduce traffic jams
in the city, by-passing the historic city centre and thus reducing driving time
to and from key points in Heraklio.
Construction work at the Pankrition Stadium, the main Olympic Competition
Venue, is now essentially complete. The material and technical infrastructure is
being upgraded, and improvements are being made in accessibility to areas
designated as Olympic training sites that will be used by teams participating in
the Olympic Football Tournament.
The design plan for the remodelling of the Museum of Natural History is
approaching completion, and the old vegetable market district is being given a
facelift. Unification of the archaeological sites of Archanes and Heraklio is
proceeding. are linked. A further series of subprogrammes for ecotourism and
alternative sport tourism are ongoing.
As part of its commitment to the local population, the municipality of
Heraklio has set up the Heraklio 2004 programme, to monitor progress of work
more efficiently. This programme will also carry out certain works and actions
dovetailing with the improvements through the Greece 2004 programme, such as
renovating the Old City and the surrounding walls; completing works for the
Pateles cultural and sports centre; improving historic areas of the city
aesthetically; pedestrianising and remodelling streets in the city centre;
setting up an Olympic Games information centre; and organising cultural and
sport events.
Basic Facts and Figures - Heraklio
Population: 120.000
Telephone: area code 2810, country code 30
Weather: weather up-dates are available at
http://www.hnms.gr/emy/english/ath2004/index_html
|
