The archaeological site of Gortyna (Gortyn or Gortys), 46km southwest of Iraklio, is the largest in Crete. Little remains from the Minoan period because it was little more than a subject town of powerful Phaestos until it began accumulating riches under the Dorians. By the 5th century BC, it was as influential as Knossos. Gortyna’s splendour came to an end in AD 824 when the Saracens raided the island and destroyed the city.
Except for the 7th-century-BC Temple of Apollo and the Byzantine Church of Agios Titos, most of what you see dates from the Roman period.
The city sprawls over a square kilometre of plains, foothills and the summit of plains, hills and fields. An aqueduct used to bring in natural spring water from Zaros, 15km away, to feed fountains and public baths. (There also must have been streets and a town square, but these have not been excavated.)
There are two main sections to Gortyna, bisected by the main road. Most people only stop long enough to investigate the fenced area on the north side of the road past the parking lot and entrance gate. However, the most important Roman temples, baths and other buildings are actually on the other side of the street, albeit scattered around a sprawling open area and thus not as easily explored. Admission to this section is free and there are no closing times. A combined ticket with Agia Triada costs €6 (concession €3).
Buses to Phaestos from Iraklio also stop at Gortyna.
The first major monument visible within the fenced area is the 6th-century Byzantine Church of Agios Titos, the finest early-Christian church in Crete. Probably built atop an even older church, its only major surviving feature is the soaring apse flanked by two side chapels, the left of which is still used as a shrine.
A few steps away is the Odeion, a Roman theatre from the 1st century BC, which was levelled by an earthquake and rebuilt by Trajan in the 2nd century AD. The covered, arched structure on the far side of the theatre shelters Gortyna’s star attraction: the stone tablets engraved with the 6th-century-BC Laws of Gortyna. The 600 lines written in a Dorian dialect were the earliest law code in the Greek world and provide fascinating insight into the social structure of pre-Roman Crete. Interestingly, ancient Cretans were preoccupied with the same issues that drive people into court today – marriage, divorce, property transfers, inheritance and adoption, as well as criminal offences. It was an extremely hierarchical society, divided into slaves and several categories of free citizens, each of whom had strictly delineated rights and obligations.
Monuments here are much larger but stretch out over a vast area and are therefore not as easy to locate. It’s fun to wander around aimlessly and just stumble upon the ruins, but if you want to explore the site in a more organised fashion, locate the sign pointing to the Temple of Apollo on the main road and follow the stone path. You’ll first pass the remains of the Temple of the Egyptian Gods, dedicated primarily to Isis, Serapis and Anubis, before arriving at the Temple of Apollo, which was the main sanctuary of pre-Roman Gortyna. Built in the 7th century BC, the temple was expanded in the 3rd century BC and converted into a Christian basilica in the 2nd century AD. Its rectangular outline and much of the altar are still in situ. Behind it you can spot the well-preserved theatre.
Turn left in front of the Temple of Apollo to reach the huge Praetorium. The palace of the Roman governor of Crete, it served both as an administrative building, a church and a private residence. Most of the ruins date from the 2nd century AD and were repaired in the 4th century. To the north is the 2nd-century Nymphaeum, a public bath supplied by an aqueduct bringing water from Zaros. It was originally adorned with statues of nymphs. South of the Nymphaeum is the amphitheatre, which dates from the late 2nd century AD.
It’s a 20- to 30-minute hike, but for a bird’s-eye view of Gortyna, the hilltop Acropolis is hard to beat. It also features impressive sections of the pre-Roman ramparts. To get there, walk along the stream near the Odeion to a gate that gives way to a scrubby track to the top. It’s also possible to drive reasonably close to the site. Ask for directions at the ticket counter.
