GORTYNE CITY
City of Gortyne containing the ruins of the basilica of Saint Titus, the odeon, the theater, the amphitheater...
You will find the ruins of the basilica of Saint Titus dating from the 8th century, and the Odeon, built in the time of Emperor Trajan (2nd century), which preserves the famous Laws of Gortyn discovered at the end of the 19th century and dating from the5th century B.C. These tablets engraved in stone, written in an ancient Dorian (part of which is in the Louvre) have provided valuable information to historians about the perfectly codified and hierarchical way of functioning of Dorian society. On the other side of the river (you have to go back to the road) there is a theatre from which you can go up to the citadel, which offers a magnificent view of the whole. South of the road, many other remains remain to be seen: an amphitheatre, public baths, a praetorium, a nymphaenum, a music school, the temple of Apollo Pythios... All this scattered in the countryside: enough to keep you busy for a while!
Gortyne is also a mythical place, since under the plane tree located not far from the ruins, Zeus and Europe were united. Indeed, charmed by the young princess who lived in Phoenicia (now Lebanon), the god of gods decided to kidnap her and transformed herself into a bright white bull. The young girl, fascinated by the beauty of the animal, climbed on his back and Zeus flew away suddenly before landing under the plane trees of Gortyne where he returned to his usual form. Since their carnal meeting, the plane trees are said to be always green, never losing their foliage.
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