Discover Kastelli: Archaeology and the route towards Xidas

Kastelli offers two starting points for planning your trip: archaeological traces at named sites and a route leading from the settlement towards the eastern slopes. Local history and the route answer different questions, so you can consider them separately when planning your time here.

Archaeological traces in the village

The remains of the central archaeological building are at Agios Georgios Square. The building had eight rooms and remained in use until the Late Minoan IB period, after which it was destroyed. The number of rooms gives a specific indication of its layout, while the period places its use in time. These two details therefore answer different questions: how many rooms did the building have, and until what period did it remain in use? When putting Kastelli’s history in context, it helps to keep this spatial and chronological information separate.

Another area where finds were discovered is the site of today’s central Meidani Square. Finds from the Neolithic period, architectural remains, and objects from the Early Minoan I–II and Middle Minoan I–II periods were discovered there. The information therefore covers both movable and object finds as well as structural traces from several periods. The Roman numerals I–II specify the Early and Middle Minoan classifications more precisely than a period name alone. Together with Agios Georgios Square, Meidani provides a second specific point of reference for Kastelli’s archaeological traces.

Different historical time frames

The Hellenistic settlement of Kastelli was apparently destroyed around 220 BC. This approximate date applies to the settlement, not to the central archaeological building. For that building, the stated information is that it remained in use until the Late Minoan IB period and was then destroyed. These are two different historical time frames. When comparing the details, it is best to keep in mind both the subject concerned and its chronological context.

Route through Kastelli and towards Xidas

The Kastelli–Kastamonitsa–Toichos route follows Kastelli’s main street from west to east through the settlement and then continues onto the slopes east of the Kastelli plain. From Kastelli’s main street, a paved road climbs towards Xidas; Xidas is reached after approximately three kilometres. For orientation, you can distinguish the west-to-east route through the settlement from the subsequent climb on a paved road. Check local conditions before setting out.

When planning your trip, you can prioritise the topics according to your interests: the references to sites and periods can help you explore Kastelli’s local history, while the route brings its course, climb and direction towards Xidas into focus. This can help you decide whether to focus more on the archaeological traces or the route during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Agios Dimitrios, Galatas, Pentamodi, Petrokefalo, Voros, Kalo Chorio, Amiras, Mires.

Return to the main travel overview: Heraklion.