Archaeological Site of Gournia
Gournia is a Minoan town on a hill west of Pachia Ammos in eastern Crete, about 19 km east of Agios Nikolaos. Gournia sits beside the road that connects Agios Nikolaos to Ierapetra, which puts the site within sight of a main route rather than down a track.
The town is regarded as the most completely excavated Minoan settlement on Crete, and its preservation earned it the nickname “Pompeii of Crete”. Visitors walk paved Minoan streets between house walls, storage rooms and workshops, which is what separates Gournia from the palace sites: this is an ordinary town, not a royal complex.
What you see at Gournia
Gournia shows the layout of a small Minoan town in plan, from its street grid up to the buildings on the summit. The elements still visible on the ground are listed below.
- Paved streets that run between the blocks of the town and can still be walked.
- Houses and walls, some with stairs that once led to a second floor.
- Storage rooms and workshops, where the working life of the town was carried out.
- A sewerage system, laid out under the settlement.
- A small palace at the summit of the hill.
- A large courtyard beside it, believed to have been the market.
- A primitive theatre, cut into the ground near the summit.
- A temple dedicated to the goddess of snakes.
The finds fill in what the walls cannot. Excavators recovered chisels, hooks, hammers and pots from the houses and workshops, and those tools are what allow the daily life of the Minoans here to be pictured in detail.
When Gournia was lived in
Gournia prospered between 1550 and 1450 BC. An earthquake destroyed the town in 1450 BC, and the site was finally abandoned around 1200 BC. The cemetery of the town was found in the Sfougaras area, close to the beaches of Kamini.
Who excavated Gournia
An American archaeology group excavated Gournia between 1901 and 1904, led by Harriet Boyd. That campaign uncovered the street plan and the buildings that give the site its reputation, and it remains the reason the town can be read as a whole rather than in fragments.
Where the name Gournia comes from
The name Gournia comes from the stone and wooden bowls, or basins, that were found on the hill before the excavations began. The true Minoan name of the town is unknown, so the modern name describes the finds rather than the settlement.
Getting to Gournia
Drive to Gournia on the road between Agios Nikolaos and Ierapetra, which passes the foot of the hill. Agios Nikolaos lies about 19 km west, and Pachia Ammos sits immediately east of the site. Two more archaeological sites stand within about 6 km: the Minoan village of Vasiliki 3.5 km away and the Chrysokamino copper workshop at Kavousi 5.1 km out, so the three make one trip.
What else is near Gournia
The Gulf of Mirabello coast and the mountains behind it hold beaches, gorges and further ruins within a short drive of the site. They are listed below by distance from Gournia.
- Faneromeni Monastery stands 3 km from the site.
- The Minoan village of Vasiliki lies 3.5 km away.
- Agriomandra beach is 4.2 km out on the gulf.
- Ha Gorge cuts into the mountain 4.9 km away.
- Voulisma beach lies 5 km from Gournia.
- Priniatikos Tower stands 5.9 km away on the coast.
- Havgas Gorge by Kavousi is 6.8 km out, and Mesonas Gorge 7.3 km.
- Tholos beach lies 7.8 km away and Vathi beach 7.9 km.
- Mylonas Gorge is 8.7 km from the site.
- The Psira islet archaeological site lies 10.6 km away.
- Almyros beach is 10.7 km out, and Gargadoros beach at Agios Nikolaos 10.9 km.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the archaeological site of Gournia?
Gournia stands on a hill west of Pachia Ammos, about 19 km east of Agios Nikolaos. The site lies beside the road that links Agios Nikolaos to Ierapetra.
Why is Gournia called the Pompeii of Crete?
Gournia earned the nickname because of how well the town survived. Its streets, house walls, stairs, storage rooms and workshops are preserved well enough to read the plan of a whole Minoan settlement, which is rare on the island.
Who excavated Gournia?
Harriet Boyd led the American archaeology group that excavated Gournia between 1901 and 1904. The work made Gournia the most completely excavated Minoan town on Crete.
When was Gournia inhabited?
Gournia prospered between 1550 and 1450 BC. An earthquake destroyed it in 1450 BC, and the site was abandoned around 1200 BC.
What does the name Gournia mean?
The name comes from the stone and wooden bowls, or basins, found at the site before the excavations. The original Minoan name of the town has never been established.
Did Gournia have a palace?
Yes, a small palace stands at the summit of the hill. Beside it are a large courtyard believed to have been the market, a primitive theatre and a temple dedicated to the goddess of snakes.
Location
Archaeological Site of Gournia is located at Archaeological Site of Gournia, in the Lassithi region of Crete. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
