| Gortys or Gortyn is one of the most important ancient | | | | inscribed, in the Dorian dialect, on large stone slabs and |
| cities of prehistoric Crete. Almost 100,000 tourists | | | | it is still plainly visible. |
| visited the archaeological site of Gortys in 2006. Whilst | | | | The heart of Roman Gortys, is the Praetorium, the |
| its story goes back as far as the Minoan period, one | | | | seat of the Roman Governor of Crete. Praetorium |
| particularly important period was that which followed | | | | was built in the 1st century AD, but it was altered |
| the occupation of Crete by the Dorians (1100 BC). | | | | significantly over the next eight centuries. In the same |
| Later, during the Roman occupation (68 BC), Gortys | | | | area you will admire the ruins of the Roman baths, as |
| was the largest city and the Capital of Crete and | | | | well as the temple of Apollo and the temple of the |
| Northern Africa. The city was destroyed in 828 AD by | | | | Egyptian gods. |
| Arabs. | | | | Gortys is connected to the myth of Zeus and Europe. |
| One of the many important facts about Gortys is that | | | | Zeus, the father of all gods, fell in love with Europe, the |
| it was the first city that accepted Christianity. The first | | | | princess of Finiki in Asia Minor. The young princess |
| Christian temples were built there and the remains of | | | | was playing with her friends by the beach when Zeus |
| the biggest and most important Christian cathedral of | | | | transformed into a beautiful white bull and galloped |
| Crete can still be seen today. The cathedral is | | | | towards her. Europe admired the approaching bull and |
| dedicated to St. Titus, the first Bishop of Crete (6th | | | | jumped on his back. Zeus (still as a bull) galloped off |
| century AD). | | | | and crossed the sea until they reached the city of |
| Parts of the Roman settlement, such as the theater | | | | Gortys. He and Europe had an affair under a plane |
| (2nd century AD), have been unearthed during | | | | tree (platanos), a tree that may be still be seen today |
| excavations. The theatre has two entrances and a | | | | in Gortys. |
| halfcircular orchestra the outline of which can still be | | | | Following this affair three boys were born and they |
| seen today. | | | | later became the kings of the three Minoan Palaces in |
| Behind the Roman Theater you can see the socalled | | | | Crete. The mention of 'Europe' in this myth gives |
| "Queen of the Inscriptions". These inscriptions are the | | | | weight to the claim that the civilization of the European |
| laws of the city of Gortys. The law code of Gortys is | | | | continent was born on the island of Crete. |