Messonas

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.

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.

Agia Irini (St. Irene) (Kavoussi)
 
The single-space, Byzantine church dedicated to Saint Irene dates back to 1410 and is a modest arch-covered church adorned with murals.