Sellia
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Local community Sellia Τοπική Κοινότητα Σελλίων (Σελλιά) |
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| Basic data | |||
| Country |
 Greece
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| region | Crete | ||
| Regional district | Rethymno | ||
| local community | Agios Vasilios | ||
| Geographic coordinates | 35 ° 12 ' N , 24 ° 24' E | ||
| Height above d. M. |
280 m (average) |
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| surface | 13.77 km² | ||
| Residents | 540 (2011) | ||
| Population density | 39.22 inhabitants / km² | ||
| LAU-1 code no. | 931101 | ||
| Local division | 3 settlements | ||
| Post Code | 74060 | ||
| Telephone code | 28320 | ||
Sellia ( Greek Σελλιά ( n. Pl. )) Is a village on the island of Crete and is located three kilometers from the well-known resort of Plakias at about 280 m altitude on the southern slope of the Kryoneritis mountain range. It belongs to the municipality of Finikas of the municipality of Agios Vasilios in the regional district of Rethymno . Sellia has a total of 540 inhabitants, of which 316 live in the main village, 143 in Plakias and 81 in Souda (according to the 2011 census). The coastal road leads through the village from the exit of the Kotsifou Gorge to Chora Sfakion .
Sellia looks back on a long past. The place is mentioned for the first time in writing under this name in a Venetian census from the year 1577. However, there are certain findings that prove a continuous settlement of the current municipality area from the Minoan period at the latest . Folk etymologically, the name is derived from "Sella" ("saddle") , which also corresponds to the Cretan pronunciation. The village actually lies like a saddle on the mountain.
Sellia has retained its traditional character despite its proximity to Plakias. Two olive oil factories can be visited in winter , and the Sellia cheese dairy is known beyond the borders of the municipality for its graviera , a hard cheese , and its feta cheese . Several kafenia invite you to take a break, the only tavern offers traditional Cretan cuisine.
A visit to the three local artists is also worthwhile: Imaginative silver jewelry creations, extraordinary wooden sculptures and mostly Crete-related oil paintings can be admired in the main square of the village.
The town's two main churches are also worth seeing. The younger of the two, consecrated to Saint George, can be seen from afar and serves as a cemetery church. The older one is in the village itself and is called "Assumption of Mary". Its construction was finished in 1886, according to the inscription, and extensive restoration work was carried out inside and outside in 2005. Structural preservation measures are currently in progress, which, like the work already carried out, will be carried out in coordination with the archaeological authorities.
In the place of the older village church there was already a chapel, whose name and year of construction are not known. Only a stone with the annual inscription 1832 and a few older icons, which have since been restored, remind of this.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Results of the 2011 census at the National Statistical Service of Greece (ΕΣΥΕ) ( Memento from June 27, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) (Excel document, 2.6 MB)