RETHYMNON
Archaia Eleftherna, about 30 km east of Rethymnon, is one of the few
towns on Crete where one can still find impressive ruins of classical Greece.
Today there are two villages, which both claim that they were
built on the ruins of the ancient city. One is simply called "Eleftherna" and
the other "Archaia Eleftherna",
Eleftherna with its harbour in Rethymnon was one of
the most important cities in ancient times.
Worth visiting are the famous aqueducts up on the hill above the
city and which were cut into the hard rock. Two of the cisterns, which are still
in very good condition, are 40 m long, 25 m wide and 6 m high.
On the northern side of the hill there was a temple, probably
dedicated to Apollo.
On the outskirts of the villages there is a path leading to the
ruins of an ancient Roman viaduct and the ruins of an old water mill.
The archaeological department of Rethymnon University has been
and still is in charge of the excavations and continues to turn up sensational
findings.