From the little bay «Chomatistra», some 22km north of Agios Nikolaos Lassithi prefecture, begins the narrow and steep path that leads to the lighthouse. After five minutes’ walking over the foaming sea and some parts of the path with the cliff beneath your feet, which take your breath away, we arrive to the Fanari (lantern), how the fishermen call the lighthouse.

It was built in 1864 by the French Company Lighthouses. The tower height is 9 m and the focal height is 49 meters.
It is located on the edge of Agios Ioannis cape (St. John) and joined the Greek Lighthouse Network in 1912-13 after the end of the
Balkan wars.

The current situation of the lighthouse is the complete abandonment. The lamp (solar today) is removed from the top tower from the point that used to greet the passing ships in the past and it was placed on a rock a little higher.

If you desire, it is possible to climb the particular stone spiral staircase at first and continue on an iron staircase and exit at the close hatch at the top of the lighthouse, and through the few strong windows that were left, you can gaze at the sea which is expanded before you. Closing your eyes, listening to the wind whistling song and feeling the saltiness on your lips, you can feel for a minute like the lighthouse keeper jacked up for the daily inspection of the night guard of passing ships.

At the cape maddened winds always blow and waves beat mercilessly on the rocks, but that's not the reason for its name Aforesmenos Cape (cursed).

According to a legend, Caiaphas, who was the responsible for the crucifixion of Christ, began a journey to Rome in order to meet the Caesar, but on the way he died by an illness that spread throughout the ship. Because he was a ruler, he had to be buried. So arriving in Crete, they tried to approach the small cove in order to bury him, but the sea swelled sharply.

Nevertheless the sailors managed to go ashore and bury Caiaphas. The cape was named “Aforesmenos” (The cursed) ever since, because there the one who crucified Christ was buried and the sea is not calm down ever since. In fact a lot of marine guides of 19th century had suggested captains to sail one mile
off the cape.

More from the area...

• Accommodation
• Villages
• Gorges
• Sites
• Other

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Anatoli Rooms in Agathias, Palekastro, East Crete

Ambeles rooms in Kato Zakros

Istron, Agios Nikolaos, east Crete

Neapolis Town, Lassithi, East Crete

Xerokambos Village in East Crete

Zakros - Kato Zakros in East Crete

Ierapetra, East Crete

Koutsouras in East Crete

Elounda in Agios Nikolaos, East Crete

Pachia Ammos, Ierapetra, east Crete

Myrtos or Mirtos Village southeast Crete

Plaka Village in Agios Nikolaos, East Crete. Holiday village in Crete

Koutsounari, Ierapetra, south east Crete

Agios Nikolaos, East Crete: Yesterday and Today

Sitia Town, East Crete

Ierapetra, East Crete Cities

Goudouras village

Pefki gorge in Makrigialos, East Crete

Milonas gorge in Ierapetra, East Crete

Richtis Gorge by Sitia,Mouliana

Agii Pandes - Sitia gorge. Sights hiking and gorges in East Crete

Karoumes gorge. Palekastro Kato Zakros Beach area

Agia Irini gorge. Xerokampos Beach area. Sights and gorges in East Crete

Xerokambos gorge. Kato Zakros - East Crete gorges and Sights

Ha gorge by Ierapetra - Kavousi, East Crete

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Zakros Gorge - Kato Zakros. Gorges and sights in East Crete

Kavousi Gorge Hiking and gorges in East Crete

Kapsa or Pervolakia gorge in Makrigialos

Sarakina gorge by Mirtos Mithi, East Crete

Havgas gorge by Lasithi plataeui, East Crete

Ziros - Xerokambos gorge. East Crete gorges and Sights

Archaeological Site in Koufonisi or Lefki, Makrigialos, East Crete

Kornaros Tower and Agios Antonios in Mirsini, Sitia

Fortress Kales in Ierapetra, East Crete

Azoria archaeological site. Kavoussi, East Crete

Gournia Archaeological Site in Ierapetra, East Crete Sights

Kazarma fortress in Sitia East Crete

Traostalos Peak Sanctuary in Palekastro, East Crete

Dragmos Archaeological Site, East Crete

Archaeological Sites in Makrigialos, East Crete

Karfi archaeological site. Lassithi, East Crete

Erganos: Archaeological findings

Pirgos by Mirtos or Myrtos archaeological site. Lassithi, East Crete

Archaeological Site in Etia-Handras, East Crete

Mochlos archaeological sites. The Island and the mainland excavations

Itanos archaeological site in Palekastro, East Crete. Sights

Sitia East Crete Caves hiking : Agios Georgios-Katofigi

Hiking in Makrigialos, Eastern Crete. Pefki-Dafni

Xerokambos - Agia Irini. Hiking in Zakros

Azokeramos - Traostalos Hiking in Zakros Palekastro

Kato Zakros - Xerokampos : Hiking in east Crete

Walking in Ziros-Chandras plateau

Palekastro - Plakos east Crete

Kavousi gorge Thripti mountains-Hiking in East Crete

Palekastro - Skinias - Karoumes gorge

Zakros Ziros, E4 path. Hiking in East Crete

Chrisopigi - Bebonas. Hiking in Sitia Makrigialos East Crete

Orino - Afentis. Hiking in East Crete, Thripti Sitia mountains

Kato Zakros - Skopeli - Pelekita cave : Hiking in east Crete

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