Kourtaliotiko Gorge
The Kourtaliotiko Gorge ( Greek Κουρταλιώτικο φαράγγι ) is a mountain cut in the south of the Greek island of Crete , between the mountains of the western Kouroupa and the eastern Xiro . It is located in the municipality of Finikas in the Rethymno regional district . The bottom of the gorge is formed by the stream bed of the Megalopotamos ( Μεγαλοπόταμος ) or Kourtaliotis ( Κουρταλιώτης ), one of the ten continually water-bearing rivers in Crete.
The gorge, which is quite poor in vegetation, with its natural caves is a nesting and breeding ground for several protected bird of prey species , such as the lammergeyer and the golden eagle . The gorge is named after St. Nikolaos with his nickname in Greek ο Κουρταλιώτης o Kourtaliotis ("the rattle" or "the noisy"). According to legend, he struck the rock with his staff, whereupon the seven springs, still bubbling today, sprang up. In his honor a chapel was built in the gorge by the springs - Agios Nikolaos .
From the chapel, the Kourtaliotis River carries a lot of water all year round and is therefore also called Megalopotamos ("Great River"). It flows into the sea at the palm beach of Preveli . However, a large part of the water is diverted into an artificial irrigation canal beforehand to irrigate the southern plain of Finikas .
The connecting road leads through the gorge from the district capital Rethymno in northern Crete to the south coast to Plakias and Preveli. It was not asphalted until the early 1960s and is now one of the most spectacular gorge crossings in Crete. The rock walls on the left and right rise steeply up to 250 meters, with the river bed in places still over 100 meters below street level.
Running the Megalopotamos through the gorge
Stone arch at the entrance to the Ag. Nikolaos Chapel
South exit of the gorge
Web links
Coordinates: 35 ° 12 ′ 10 ″ N , 24 ° 28 ′ 7 ″ E