Archaeological Sights
One of the oldest and most important monuments of Christianity in Crete is the Basilica of Agios Titos, which was the seat of the first bishops of the Cretan Church. In the centre of Gortys was the temple of Pythios Apollon, the most important pre-christianic temple of the city, built on the ruins of a Minoan settlement.
The most important monuments of the ancient Gortys are the ruins of the acropolis and the odeum. The odeum of the ancient city was the place where parts of the great Law Code of Gortys were discovered. The Gortys Law was inscribed on stones. Four series of inscribed stones are preserved today, which constitute relics of great importance for the study of the epigraphy and Law of the time. The inscription is in a Dorian dialect and it was written at the end of the 6th century B.C.
History
According to the myth, Zeus led Europe, after kidnapping her, to Gortys. - This scene is depicted on the Greek two-euro coin. - The offsprings of this union were three sons, Minos, Sarpidon and Radamanthis.
Gortys was one of the oldest and strongest cities in Crete during the prehistoric and historic period. The population of ancient Gortys is believed to be 300.000 people. The Gortynians occypied Phaistos during the 3rd century B.C. During the Roman period reached the peak of its glory and it was the capital of Crete.
Gortys was the first city of Crete to accept Christianity, and maintained its glory until 828 A.D. when it was occupied and destroyed by the Saracens. Since then it has never been inhabited again.
THE CACHE
You can park your car at the archaeological site of Gortys parking place but you’ll have to walk along the main road to Moires for 100m (mind the speeding cars!) and just past the bridge turn right. Alternatively you can park exactly past the bridge at: N 35 03.723 E 024 56.632.
You’ll have to pass through a metal rail gate at the end of the short dirt road. Don’t worry, it’s there only to keep the sheep inside. The cache is on the Acropolis of Gortys, you need good shoes to climb up there, as there is no clear trail and the terrain is a bit steep and rocky.
The cache is a film canister. Please, hide it again carefully, so that it won't be blown away by the high winds up there!
