ΝΗΠΙΑΓΩΓΕΙΟ ΚΑΒΟΥΣΙΟΥ

Built at the foot of two imposing mountains, lies the famous Kavoussi, one of the most interesting villages of ierapetra. Built at an altitude of 140 metres above sea level overlooking, drowned in olive, plain and the waters of the Cretan sea, Kavousi is a historic and lively village that offers many activities and attractions. The population is 559 inhabitants (census 2011), 955 (1881 census). Unknown from that just comes its name, though in the Cretan dialect describes a small cavity or "trough", the part that is gathered water.

The first historical record of this name seems to be in 1577, but the area has been inhabited for thousands of years and this is obvious from the multitude of Minoan settlements have been excavated in the surroundings and the rare religious monuments.

The square with its coffee shops in the Centre of the village is the benchmark, and around there are the churches of St. George and of the twelve apostles that deserve attention.

Just 3 km from the Centre of the village lies the beach of the dome. The sandy, shallow beach and the many trees create ideal conditions for relaxing excursions. There are also some of the evidence for how deep roots are lost in the history of the village. The ruins of Roman warehouses, standing imperiously next than bathers in the summer, while with a little walking the remarkable frescoed chapel of St. Anthony.

In the opposite side you can see the Louse, an island that thousands of years ago was a key piece of the Minoan civilization, with a large port and a small State have discovered already from the beginning of the last century. Here found the 2006 unique-until now-sinking of the Minoan era. The view of the island-and the entire Gulf of Mirabello-the Maple area east of the village. Going up the road to the mountain of the Lord, we come across another amazing monument of history. The ancient and highly impressive olive, aged approximately 3,500 thousand years, with the huge trunk diameter exceeding 20 meters. One of the oldest trees in the world that has been designated a protected monument, due to its proximity to Minoan settlements.
The settlements of Tsamanti, August and Drakaleyrioy, are those that we meet then. Most are a place of escape for the modern Kaboysanoys, but hide memories of hard times since the middle of last century was not few those who sought refuge in the inaccessible mountains.

Attractions:

The ruins of the Temple of St. John, built by the hermit A΄Byzantini period, a cave West of the village, ending in a small Cove at sea.
The old copper mine in place "and" close the Chrysokamino ' Theriospilo ' by stalagmites.
The olive tree of Kavousi, with a trunk diameter of 17 m, the age of which is estimated at 2 km to 5,000 years.
Tholos beach.

Small but impressive gorge wich ends up east of the Kavousi village. The total length is 1.1Km and the elevation difference is 130m. Formed between the mountain Kapsas (998m.) and Azorias hill (343m.).

Havgas Canyon is one of the few that end up on the northern coast of the island. It is quite narrow with vertical walls. Its rocks are very similar to those in tha Ha gorge.

The course of the gorge in the northeast followed wide cobbled road that connects the area of Avgos with Kavousi village.

Interestingly, at the beginning, there is a big puddle which you can cross using the tyrolienne technique.

The Church of Agioi Apostoloi at Kavousi
 
The single-nave church of the Holy Apostles, 100 metres to the south of St. George, also has two layers of wall paintings of the 14th and 15th centuries respectively. From the first layer very few forms can be discerned, such as the full-length figure of the woman donor on the north wall who has the attributive “presvyterysa” [wife of a priest]. The second layer, which is dated to the beginning of the 15th century, and is partially preserved has scenes from the Gospel cycle and the exceptionally large representation of the Second Coming which ­covers the west, a large part of the south and a part of the north walls. From the remaining representations, the multi-person scene of the Birth, with the western-style All-Holy Virgin the ­Galaktotrofousa on the south wall of the main church, as well as the large and graphic depiction of the Three Holy Youths in the Fiery Furnace on the south wall of the sanctuary, are ­noteworthy.

AZORES MINOAN SETTLEMENT
Azores settlement is an important urban center of Crete in the Archaic Period (7th-5th century BC). Built on a conspicuous hill that dominates the Mirabello gulf, holds the position of strategic importance between Isthmus of Ierapetra and west Sitia mountains.

Even though the area has been continuously inhabited from the Early Iron Age (1200-700 BC to the 5th century BC), the destruction 700 BC leads to the settlement’s rearrangement and the public urban center construction.
Of the public buildings that have come to light, important to mention are: Firstly, the complex named “Andrion” consisting of storage areas, kitchens, one dining room and rooms used for libations and offerings, Secondly “Memorial State Building” which was obviously hall or banquet terraced for seats and thirdly the small “Sanctuary”. Here apart from numerous vessels, iron spits, tools and weapons figurines and an armor section and Cretan type helmet were found.

Church of the All-Holy Virgin Protoseptemvriani

The ancient olive tree stands 1 kilometer on the southern side of Kavousi village and very close to the archaeological village with the same name. This Olive is natural monument and the most ancient olive in the world. Indeed it is grafted in wild subject, forming the most ancient grafting sample in the world.

The olive tree has been proclaimed from the Olive Municipalities Association of Crete as Memorial because of its big dimensions and place near the ancient settlements of Vronta, Castro and Azore, where many pottery and pressing systems have been found. Georgiow Grammatikakis owned the olive tree in 2008 and it is mastoid variety locally named “mouratoelia”.
The trunks biggest diameter is 4,9 meters long and its perimeter 14,20 meters. Based on yearly ring methods it is estimated that the tree was planted on the period 1350 until 1100 b.C.
In 2004 after the residents and Ierapetra’s municipality suggestion it was decided that the first winner of the Women’s Marathon in the Olympic Games in Athens would be crowned with branches from the olive tree.

Zoodochos Pigi (Life-giving Font) (Kavoussi)
 
The Byzantine church of the Life-Giving Font dates back to the 14th century. It is a small arch-covered church, though its murals are largely destroyed. Of particular interest are the depictions of the Akathist Hymn.

The Church of St. George at Kavousi
 
The large number of churches within and without the settlement of Kavousi is evidence of its flourishing, mainly during the period of Venetian occupation. St. George, in the centre of the settlement, belongs to the architectural plan of the ­single-nave church with a transverse, tripartite narthex. It has two layers of wall painting decoration of the 14th and 15th centuries, of which the later one is the most ­extensively preserved in the main church and the central section of the narthex. The iconographic programme includes, apart from the usual Christological cycle, a compact Marian cycle and the cycle of St. George. The west wall and parts of the lateral walls are occupied by the large representation of the Second Coming with its miniature and particularly graphic figures of the damned in its lower part. From the remaining representations, Abba Zosimas with St. Mary of Egypt in the intrados of the north arch of the narthex as well as the western-style depiction of the All-Holy Virgin the Galaktotrofousa [Milk-giver] on the north wall close to the altar screen, are noteworthy.

Church of Koimisi tis Theotokou & Agios Ioannis o Theologos (Dormition of Mother Mary & St. John the Divine) (Kavoussi)
 
This grand two-aisled church was built in 1847 and served as village cathedral until 1962. It was renovated in 2002.

Its three-lobed belfry and gilded chancel screen with its 19th century icons are noteworthy. The church is home to a collection of 17th-19th century icons, most noteworthy of which is an early 17th century depiction of the Coronation of the Virgin and Child.