Loutro (island)

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Loutro
Native name: Λουτρό
Loutro islet.jpg
The rocky islet of Loutro.
Greece location map.svg
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Loutro
Geography
Coordinates 35°11′48″N24°04′58″E / 35.1966°N 24.0827°E / 35.1966; 24.0827 Coordinates: 35°11′48″N24°04′58″E / 35.1966°N 24.0827°E / 35.1966; 24.0827
ArchipelagoCretan Islands
Administration
Greece
Region Crete
Regional unit Chania
Demographics
Population0 (2001)

Loutro (Greek : Λουτρό) is a rocky islet in the gulf of Loutro on the southwest coast of Crete in the Libyan Sea. The islet can be found close to the end of the Mouri cape. Administratively, it is part of the municipality of Sfakia. The coastal village of Loutro is approximately 71 kilometres (44 miles) south of Chania. The gulf of Loutro was once used for shipbuilding and by merchant ships.

Greek language language spoken in Greece, Cyprus and Southern Albania

Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, native to Greece, Cyprus and other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea. It has the longest documented history of any living Indo-European language, spanning more than 3000 years of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the major part of its history; other systems, such as Linear B and the Cypriot syllabary, were used previously. The alphabet arose from the Phoenician script and was in turn the basis of the Latin, Cyrillic, Armenian, Coptic, Gothic, and many other writing systems.

Loutro, Chania village in the region of Chania, Crete, Greece

Loutro lies on the south coast of Chania regional unit in west Crete, between Chora Sfakion and Agia Roumeli, the exit to the Samaria Gorge. The whole area is known as Sfakia. The village got its name from the Greek word for "bath," for the many ancient baths found in the area.

Crete The largest and most populous of the Greek islands

Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica. Crete and a number of surrounding islands and islets constitute the region of Crete, one of the 13 top-level administrative units of Greece. The capital and the largest city is Heraklion. As of 2011, the region had a population of 623,065.

Contents

Ancient Foinikas

The gulf of Loutro with the islet of Loutro (on the right). Loutro Crete.jpg
The gulf of Loutro with the islet of Loutro (on the right).

Loutro is believed to be part of ancient Foinikas and the port of ancient Anopolis. It became the winter harbour of Sfakia. The gulf and the islet make a natural harbour where ships can be safe even in the worst of weather.

Shipbuilding

The gulf of Loutro was once used for shipbuilding by the people of Sfakia and the local sailors used to travel throughout the Mediterranean, and as far away as Russia, from Loutro. Shipbuilding, sailing, and navigation contributed to the local economy. [1] One of the successful shipbuilders and shipowners was Ioannis Vlachos, who was better known as Daskalogiannis. He was a wealthy shipbuilder with four large three-mast ships that sailed between the ports of the Mediterranean. [1] [2]

Sfakia Place in Greece

Sfakiá is a mountainous area in the southwestern part of the island of Crete, in the Chania regional unit. It is considered to be one of the few places in Greece that have never been fully occupied by foreign powers. With a 2011 census population of 1,889 inhabitants living on a land area of 467.589 km2 (180.537 sq mi), Sfakia is one of the largest and least densely populated municipalities on the island of Crete. The etymology of its name is disputed. According to the prevailing theory, it relates to its rugged terrain, deriving from the ancient Greek word σφαξ, meaning land chasm or gorge.

Daskalogiannis Greek leader of a revolt against Ottoman rule

Ioannis Vlachos, better known as Daskalogiannis was a wealthy shipbuilder and shipowner who led a Cretan revolt against Ottoman rule in the 18th century.

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References

  1. 1 2 Detorakis, Turkish rule in Crete, p. 355
  2. Detorakis, Turkish rule in Crete, p. 356

Sources