Kokkino Chorio: Village History and Drapanokefala

When looking for a hotel in Kokkino Chorio, considering its location and history can help you get a sense of the destination. The village lies at an altitude of 152 metres on the northeastern edge of Apokoronas, west of Cape Drapano. Local traditions, architectural history and evidence from the occupation period each offer different points of reference. Nearby, the Cave of the Elephants adds a paleontological perspective whose timescale extends far beyond the village’s more recent history.

Village Character and Name Traditions

Kokkino Chorio is known for its old houses. Two local traditions offer different explanations for its name. One traces it to the red soil in the area; the other to the blood shed by locals in battles against the Ottomans. The explanations differ considerably: one is rooted in the soil, the other in the history of the fighting.

Church and Wartime

The Church of Saint George at the foot of Drapanokefala dates from the 16th century. During the German occupation from 1941 to 1945, the Germans converted it into an explosives depot. The building thus combines an early construction date with a later wartime use.

An underground shelter next to the church served German forces as an administrative office for the southern part of Souda Fortress, also known as Suda Fortress. After the Battle of Crete in May 1941, German forces used forced labour from local residents to build machine-gun positions, fortifications and underground shelters in the Drapanokefala area.

Drapanokefala and Cape Drapano

During the war, a cable car connected the entrance to the main German underground headquarters in Kokkino Chorio with the summit of Drapanokefala. The summit is at an altitude of 527 metres. The cable car thus linked the headquarters site to a clearly identified point on the mountain.

Nearby, the lighthouse at Cape Drapano was built in 1864 by the French Society of Ottoman Lighthouses. Its construction date provides another historical reference point alongside the evidence from the occupation period.

Caves and Geological History

The underwater Cave of the Elephants lies near the lighthouse at Cape Drapano. In 2000, fossilised bones of deer and elephants that lived on Crete about 60,000 years ago were found there. The cave is 160 metres long and is of particular paleontological interest. These finds give the area around the village a different time frame from that of the historic buildings and structures.

Koutalas Cave lies northeast of Kokkino Chorio. The road network through the village provides access to the area.

Different Time Periods

The dates show just how far apart these subjects are: the church dates from the 16th century, the lighthouse was built in 1864, and the fortifications were constructed after the Battle of Crete in May 1941. The finds in the Cave of the Elephants reach further back still, to animals that lived on Crete about 60,000 years ago. This makes it possible to distinguish the village’s history, wartime history and paleontological history by their respective time periods.

Discover more destinations: Dramia, Georgioupoli, Paralia Kourna, Anopoli, Stavros, Agia Marina, Marediana, Mourniés

For the broader travel overview: Chania.