Gournia

The ruins of the Minoan town with no fortification were discovered at the beginning of the 20th century by the American archaeologist Boyd Hawes. The town is called the Minoan Pompeii or the town of little people - its original name has not been preserved and the ruins of the settlement were named after watering palces for livestock (´gournes´ in Greek) that were found in the place. Other constructions that have been discovered are craftsman workshops, paved streets and also a sewerage system. The settlement was in its heyday between 1700 and 1450 BC. The houses there used to have two storeys but they were small, with workshops and shops on the ground floor where livestock and supplies were kept. On the first floor accessible by an outside staircase, there were living rooms. This kind of architecture is reminiscent of the way old villages on Crete were built - little has changed since the ancient times. On the hillock above the settlement, you will find remains of a sanctuary and a manor house with a large courtyards that probably served as a marketplace.