Sights Gorges and nature ..in Central Crete Kourtaliotiko Gorge in Plakias, south Crete
| Kourtaliotiko Gorge in Plakias, south Crete |
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The village of Koxare is at the northern end of the gorge. A road runs north to south through the gorge joining Koxare to Asomatos; it then leads west, on to the town of Plakias on the southern coast of Crete. A small ruined church (Agios Nikolaos) sits within the gorge. The cliffs on the side of the gorge provide a roosting site for the Griffon Vulture. There is a specific point on the gorge, about 20 metres from the northern entrance, where you can hear some "claps", like hands coming together. These "claps" are the "kourtala", that give the name to the gorge. They are the consequence of the wind being funnelled through the high caves of the gorge and breaking the sound barrier. The point near the northern entrance is the main point to hear that sound. A little before the exit of the gorge there is a small waterfall, about 40m high. The water comes out of five points and flows all year around. According to a legend those five springs were made from the imprint of the fingers of Saint Nicholas, an ascetic who was born in the nearby village Frati and used to live there years ago, on arock. This miracle happened because the ascetic had no water an was about to leave the place. In memorial to this Saint, which is celebrated at September 1st, the local people called the spring "evlogia kiriou" (Lord's blessing) and built a small chapel a little further from that spring.
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| Last Updated on Sunday, 29 August 2010 11:19 |
The Kourtaliotiko Gorge (Greek: Κουρταλιώτικο Φαράγγι), also known as the Asomatos Gorge (Greek: Φαράγγι Ασώματου), is a gorge on the southern side of the western part of the island of Crete. It is situated where the Kourtaliotiko River flows southwards between the mountains of Kouroupa and Xiron.
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The village of Koxare is at the northern end of the gorge. A road runs north to south through the gorge joining Koxare to Asomatos; it then leads west, on to the town of Plakias on the southern coast of Crete.
A small ruined church (Agios Nikolaos) sits within the gorge. There is also a 40 metre high waterfall.
The cliffs on the side of the gorge provide a roosting site for the Lammergeier vulture.
There is a specific point on the gorge, about 20 metres from the northern entrance, where you can hear some "claps", like hands coming together. These "claps" are the "kourtala", that give the name to the gorge. They are the consequence of the wind being funnelled through the high caves of the gorge and breaking the sound barrier. The point near the northern entrance is the main point to hear that sound.
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