Must-see
attractions!
Heraklion, the largest city in Crete, has a great history. Benefit from the central position of Metropole Urban Hotel and discover plenty of sights and monuments.
Palace of Knossos
Knossos, even before the Roman era, was the most important city of Crete and a palace of Minoan civilization. The palace of the city is the most popular archaeological site of Crete, with over 1,000,000 visitors per year. The surrounding area from the palace is also full of archaeological finds since Knossos at its peak has reached over 100,000 inhabitants.
Archaeological Museum of Heraklion
At the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion you will find the most important collection of the world for Minoan antiquities. It is one of the largest museums in Greece and one of the most prestigious museums in Europe with archaeological content. The exhibits consist of characteristic samples from all periods of Cretan prehistory and history, and cover a period of 5,500 years - from Neolithic to Roman times.
Fortress of Koules
The medieval Koules Fortress is located at the port of Heraklion, at the end of "August 25th" street. It was built by the Venetians, who named it Rocca al Mare (Fortress of the Sea). Nowadays, it is used as an archaeological site, as it displays information on the history of the fortress and the city in general, as well as surveys of the oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
Church of Saint Catherine
Metropole Urban Hotel is located at the Saint Catherine Square. According to tradition, the temple was a center of letters and arts and played an important role in the preservation of Orthodox faith during the period of Venetian domination. However, during the Ottoman domination, it only functioned as a Muslem mosque. In November 1943, at the feast of Saint Catherine, it was first operated again after 274 years. Today, the temple operates as the Museum of Christian Art.
Nikos Kazantzakis Grave
At the highest point of the walls of Heraklion is the tomb of the most important Cretan writer Nikos Kazantzakis. His works had provoked, with several readers to designate them as "sacrilege" bringing the writer close to aphorism. On the grave, you are able to see the famous phrase of the writer: "I hope nothing, I fear nothing, I'm free ".
Morosini Fountain (Lions)
The Morosini Fountain (also known as the Lion Fountain or Lion) is located at Eleftherios Venizelos Square, in the center of Heraklion. It is one of the most beautiful Venetian monuments in the city, with the fountain consisting of four lions that spill water out of their mouths. It is a meeting point for the locals, with hundreds of visitors taking photographs daily in front of the beautiful fountain.
Natural History Museum of Crete
The Museum of Natural History of the University of Crete was established in 1980 and today is located in the old electrical building of Heraklion. It is 3,500 sq.m. and it consists of 4 levels. It includes zoological, botanical, palaeontological - geological and mineralogical sections and occasionally hosts various exhibitions. ".
