Rethymno ( , Italian: Retimo, formerly also Rettimo or Retimno, Latin: Civitas Rethymnæ) is a city in Greece on the island of Crete. It is the capital of Rethymno regional unit, and has a population of more than 35,000 inhabitants (nearly 40,000 for the municipal unit). It is believed to have been built on the site of the earlier city of Rhithymna.
History
Rethymno is believed to have been built on the site of the earlier city of Rhithymna. Some sources mention a city called Arsinoe which some scholars have proposed stood at the same site.Getzel M. Cohen, The Hellenistic Settlements in Europe, the Islands, and Asia Minor (Volume 17 of Hellenistic culture and society). University of California Press, 1995 p132
Rethymno began a period of growth when the Venetian conquerors of the island decided to establish an intermediate commercial station between Heraklion and Chania, acquiring its own bishop and nobility in the process. Today's old town (palia poli) was almost entirely built by the Republic of Venice. It is one of the best-preserved old towns in Crete.
From circa 1250 the city was the seat of the Latin Diocese of Retimo, which was renamed Retimo–Ario after the absorption in 1551 of the Diocese of Ario.
The town still maintains its old aristocratic appearance, with its buildings dating from the 16th century, arched doorways, stone staircases, Byzantine remains, the small Venetian harbour and narrow streets. The Venetian Loggia houses the information office of the Ministry of Culture and Sports. A Wine Festival is held there annually at the beginning of July. Another festival, in memory of the destruction of the Arkadi Monastery, is held on 7–8 November.
The city's Venetian-era citadel, the Fortezza of Rethymno, is one of the best-preserved castles in Crete. Other monuments include the Neradje Mosque (the Municipal Odeon arts centre), the Great Gate ( or "Porta Guora"), the Piazza Rimondi and the Loggia.
The town was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1646 during the Cretan War (1645–69). The town, called Resmo in Turkish, was the centre of a sanjak (administrative part of a province) during Ottoman rule.
During the Cretan Revolt of 1866–1869, the nearby Arkadi Monastery became a major centre of resistance against Ottoman rule. In November 1866, a large Ottoman force besieged the monastery, where 259 defenders and more than 700 women and children had taken refuge.
After several days of fighting, Ottoman troops entered the monastery. Rather than surrender, the defenders ignited barrels of gunpowder stored inside, causing an explosion that killed most of those sheltering there, as well as many of the attackers. Thirty-six insurgents who had taken refuge in the monastery’s refectory were subsequently massacred. The event became known as the Holocaust of Arkadi and attracted considerable sympathy for the Cretan cause across Europe.
During the Battle of Crete (20–30 May 1941), the Battle of Rethymno was fought between German paratroopers and combined forces of the Second Australian Imperial Force and the Hellenic Army. Although initially unsuccessful, eventually the Germans won the battle after receiving reinforcements airlifted to Maleme in the northwestern part of the island.
Today the city's main source of income is tourism, with many new facilities having been built in the past 20 years. Agriculture is also notable, especially olive oil and other Mediterranean products.
Municipality
The municipality of Rethymno was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units: Arkadi Lappa Nikiforos Fokas Rethymno
Population of Rethymno Hellenic Statistical Authority, Digital Library (ELSTAT), Census (Greek and English) Settlements 1940 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011 Rethymno (city) 8,648 11,057 14,999 14,969 17,136 23,355 28,987 32,468 Agia Eirini 96 88 63 47 34 63 49 75 Agios Markos - - - - 18 65 - - Anogeia 50 25 25 21 13 15 89 131 Gallos 315 274 252 180 146 205 430 922 Giannoudi 92 82 78 30 22 23 96 116 Kastellakia - 45 27 36 105 - - - Koumpes - 106 - - - - - - Metochi Albani 67 79 31 - - - - - Megalo Metochi (Risvan) - 33 25 - 6 28 29 46 Mikro Metochi - - - - 29 91 188 149 Misiria 294 212 - - - - - - Xiro Chorio 214 219 132 90 - 114 131 221 Perivolia 853 805 - - - - - - Platanes 343 488 - - - - - - Tria Monastiria - - - - 18 105 107 172 Total 10,972 13,513 15,632 15,373 18,190 24,064 31,687 34,300
Culture
Rethymno is home to the following museums: Archaeological Museum of Rethymno Historical and Folklore Museum of Rethymno Municipal Gallery "L. Kanakakis" The Frantzeskaki Collection Museum of Sea Life at Rethymno
The Treasure Hunt of Rethymno is a game played by local people and takes place two weeks before Carnival.
Literature Pandelis Prevelakis wrote Το χρονικό μιας πολιτείας (1937), The Chronicle of a Town, a nostalgic depiction of Rethymno from the period of the Cretan State (1898) to the expulsion of the Cretan Turks (1924).
Sports
Rethymno hosted the international athletics meeting known as Vardinogianneia. The athletics meeting stopped in 2012 due to Greek financial crisis. Rethymno has many sport clubs with presence in Panhellenic championships of various sports. Below is alist of the main sport clubs of Rethymno.
Sport clubs based in RethymnoClubFoundedSportsAchievementsNeos Asteras Rethymno F.C.1945Football Earlier presence in Gamma EthnikiNO Rethymnou1963Water Polo Presence in A1 Ethniki womenEA Rethymniakou1983Football, Track and FieldEarlier presence in Beta EthnikiRethymno B.C.1986BasketballPresence in A1 EthnikiOPE Rethymnou1992VolleyballPresence in A1 Ethniki women
Education
In the Rethymno Campus of the University of Crete are located the School of Philosophy, the School of Education, the School of Social, Economics and Political Sciences, and the University Library of the University of Crete. On a yearly basis, there are about 8.000 students studying at "Galos" where the Campus and the Academic Institute of Mediterranean Studies are located. Also in Rethymnon is located the School of Music and Optoacoustic Technologies of the Hellenic Mediterranean University. Finally, in Rethymno, Tria Monastiria area is located the international research Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser of the Hellenic Mediterranean University which is the access point of the National Research Facility HELLAS-CH .
Geography Climate
Notable locals Royalty and politics Georgios Chortatzis (1545–1610), dramatist in Cretan verse Ahmed Resmî Efendi (1700–1783), Ottoman statesman, author and ambassador Nikolaos Sifounakis (born 1949), Greek politician Emetullah Rabia Gülnuş Sultan (1642–1715), valide sultan Emmanouil Tsouderos (1882–1956), former Prime Minister of Greece
Other Stylianos Harkianakis (1935–2019), Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Australia Athanasius III of Constantinople (1597–1654), Patriarch Pandelis Prevelakis (1909–1986), writer Manolis Xexakis (born 1949), poet and writer Nick Dandolos (1883–1966), professional poker player
International relations
Rethymno is twinned with : Ayia Napa, Cyprus Castenaso, Italy Pushkin, Russia
Gallery
See also History of Crete List of settlements in the Rethymno regional unit Rethymnian Brewery
References Notes
External links
https://www.explorerrethymno.gr Prefecture of Rethymno - Official website Rethymno The Official website of the Greek National Tourism Organisation