Gortyna was the capital of Crete and the eastern region of Libya, known as Cyrenaica, during the Roman period and flourished during the Minoan period. The city was destroyed twice by earthquakes, with the second event resulting in its complete destruction.
At the archaeological site, you can find one of the most important ancient Odeons in Crete, as well as the building where the “Great Code of Gortyn,” the city’s civil code, was discovered. Notably, there is an evergreen plane tree located at the site. This tree is one of just 50 recorded of its subspecies in Crete. The plane tree of Gortyna is also tied to the myth of the abduction of Europa by Zeus. According to legend, the god arrived there transformed into a bull and later took human form beneath the plane tree.
How will you get to the Archaeological Site of Gortyna?
To reach the archaeological site of Gortyna, you can drive from Heraklion, which is located about 45 kilometres to the north. The drive takes approximately 1 hour.
