I + 6 : Diverted by the Winds - Venetian Fort instead of Minoan Palace

Riding out 2-Meter-Waves today was actually quite enjoyable

We are lucky having sailed to Crete yesterday. Now on the way to Agios Nikolaos we face 2-meter-high waves and a wind speeds of 30 - 35 knots. You are well advised to hold on to your coffee cup with both hands.

The Minoan Palace of Gournia is about Half an Hour to the East of Agios Nikolaos

We are looking for a shielded bay close to Gournia, the first Minoan Palace to visit on our journey. Palace is probably the wrong word since palace sites had many more functions. They were not just housing the royals. Built around 2’600 BC, the Gournia Palace was more like a community center. But more to that later.

The Palace Building (No 2) is completely embedded in the Minoan Settlement of Gournia

Most importantly, Minoan palaces were the places where copper and tin ingots were stored – Crete did not have either and had to procure them from Cyprus (copper) and Persia (tin). We read about these imports from records found in Assyrian and Egyptian ports. Bronze (90% copper, 10% tin) was vital for a sophisticated society as the Minoan. Tools, pots, trinkets, religious objects and weapons were made from it. Its versatility was valued. In peace times when there was no need for daggers and swords, they were melted; the bronze used for other purposes. In times of war, the process was reversed. Holding an inventory of tin and copper was vitally important and entrusted to the religious and secular elite.

Influence of the Minoan Culture (and thus its trading) reached far in the 3rd Millenia BC

Since nobody sells copper and tin for free – miners, charcoal producers and smelters have to be paid - a Minoan palace had to orchestrate the production of export goods. Olive oil from Crete was in high demand, its wine as well, also the fine pottery made on the island and apparently some clothes. Producing these goods was only step 1. Someone had to coordinate the building of cypress ships. These ships had to be manned and supplied with food and water. Export items had to be selected for each market. Letters and gifts prepared for the rulers of the destination ports. It is actually quite difficult to distinguish between gifts, trading goods and crew-owned items (they had their salaries paid in goods and were allowed to sell on their own account).

The Site of Gournia overlooks the sea and is an ideal Place for long-distance Trading

The Minoan palaces were also a storage center for excess food for hard time when a drought or cold weather led to a failed harvest. The Minoan farmers handed over a fraction of every harvest to the palaces, where it was recorded and safely stored. The Minoans could draw on these reserves administered by their rulers. There are plenty of tables in the Minoan palaces, written in still undeciphered Linear A which were tracking activities. This was probably the first European Tax system.

The Minoan Bronze Dagger from Malia is now in the Archeological Museum in Heraklion

Palaces also were places for regular religious festivities. Most baffling is the total absence of any palace fortifications. They were fully integrated in the Minoan settlements. There were no walls around the settlements either. Although there were plenty of weapons found in Minoan Crete, it seems that the various clans of the Royal Family were peaceful people. Quite different from other early European societies where clan-based violence was a daily occurrence. Wonder whether the peaceful nature of the Minoans society was a function of their matriarchal structure. Minoan women played a very prominent role in the societal fabric of their 250’000 people.

The Venetian Fortress of Spinalonga dominates the Northern Exit from the Elounda Bay

The wind though was not on the side of the Minoans today. It got stronger every half hour. There was no chance of finding a sheltered bay close to Gournia. We had to escape to Elounda, a good hour north of Agios Nikolaos. The waters in the Elounda bay would be calmer, maybe the wind too. In order to get there though, we had to ride through high waves for an hour. “Asperam ad astras”. But it was fun.

Secret Venetian Map of Spinalonga from the 17th Century

We were rewarded by the view of the Venetian Fortress Spinalonga which dominates the northern entrance to the Elousia Bay. It was once the site of a small Byzantine Fort but then considerably strengthened when Crete became Venetian in 1210. With the Turkish threat substantially increasing after the fall of Rhodes in 1522, Spinalonga was modernized and equipped with modern gun platforms and bastions.

The heavily fortified southern Entrance to Spinalonga. Two Bastions protect it with crossfire

The fortress was so strong that the Ottoman did not even try to take it during the Turkish – Venetian war from 1640 – 1669. They focused on Chania, Rethymnon and Heraklion instead. At the peace treaty of 1669, the fortresses of Gramvousa, Suda Bay and Spinalonga remained Venetian but the rest of Crete was surrendered. Isolated from the hinterland, these three fortresses had little strategic value and eventually fell into Turkish hands.

Plan of the Turkish 3-Months-Siege of Spinalonga

Having lost its military value, Spinalonga later became a lepper colony until 1957. It was then restored and opened for tourists. After Knossos, it is Crete’s second most visited site. With EUR 20 per person, the ticket is pricey and unaffordable for a family of five. But Spinalonga gives you a good idea of Venetian Renaissance military architecture and was definitely a difficult place to conquer.

Part of the former Lepper Colony. Our Boat visible below the Tree

By 5.30 pm the wind had sufficiently softened to lift anchor and sail down south to the Marina of Agios Nicholaos. We will hold our closing dinner tonight and meet some of the sailors of group 2 who have already arrived.

 We arrived at 18.30 pm at the Marina of Agios Nikolaos. Over dinner, the wind was picking up again. Wonder what we are going to do tomorrow...?