Krousonas from student's eyes

Krousonas, Heraklion Crete Greece

Krousonas from student's 'eyes'

High school of Krousona
2019-2020

Main square of Krousona

I feel proud of my village, because it is a village with a long history. I am happy to live in the village, because we are all friends. The locals are hospitable and kind, willing to help. It is a village with liveliness, because young people live in the village and it is growing more and more.
As a village, it serves, if not all, most of inhabitans needs. It has schools and so children are not forced to leave. It has enough supermarkets and various other shops so that people can get whatever they want, at any time. It also has pharmacies, which are very important for anyone who gets sick, to be able to immediately find what they need. It also has several cafes where young people can spend their time happily. Another advantage of the village is that children can play carefree in the neighborhoods, without any fear at all.
Strange as it may seem to you, in my own eyes, I consider Krousonas to have no negatives.

Maria Vidozaxaraki

Monastery of 'Agia Irini'

Krousonas is a mountain village located at the foot of psiloritis mountain with many inhabitants. Krousonas has many mountains and ravines but we single it out for its hospitality. The positive thinks for a village are the freedom of the children, that is, the children in a village are not limited to one place, they are independent. Also in a village you can grow your own products such as cheese, milk, oil and animal husbandry which are very important for nutrition. Another positive element is that the school are located close to them, as well as the kindergartens and highschool located in the same building.

Old fountain

The downsides for our village are that hospitals, restaurants, shops, cinema, theater etc. are far away.
Also the village is famous for the wonderful taverns where you can enjoy the delicacies of our place such as the ‘’snails’’ and the ‘’coarse’’ after you eat, you can visit the rooms for rent in the mountains, with wonderful view of the village. Late in the morning you can enjoy a hot coffee in of the many cafes located on the village square. As well as you could visit the wonderful sightscenes!!

Cristina Lidaki

' Panagia Kera'

Krousonas is a village with rich history which unfortunately not many visitors and inhabitants know about. Let's explore from the students' "eyes". Krousonas is located southwest of Heraklion, in a distance of 21km. On a slope are builded Plagia, 'Koupos' and 'Libadiotis'. It has an altitude of 460m. The place name Krousonas is considered as ancient Greek. According to a folk version, the village was builded from "Krousarous" which settled here, bringing precious spoils which had gain from their various raids.
Krousonas has a high school a senior high school, two primary schools, kindergarden, rural doctor's office, agricultural cooperative, football club 'PAOK' Krousona and last but not least, the cultural association "Nea genia".
The cultural association has the responsibility of organizing and presenting the events that take place every summer in the village's square. The contribution and participation in the organization of Krousinas' Carnival is also important.
In Krousonas the Women's Cooperative is active, and produces a wide variety of bakery and confectionery products with local ingredients and local traditional recipes.

'Agia Paraskevi'

The inhabitants of the area are mainly engaged in vineyards, olive groves, fruit trees and sheep and goat farming. It is noteworthy that the plateau of Krousonas, at an altitude of 1200 m, cultivates 300,000 pears and apples.

The religious element seems to be strongly dominant. Wherever you look you will see small or large temples, a chapel on top of hills, cave temples and a monastery, that of the Saint Irene. People say that no other village has so many saints!Let's say a few words about these temples.

The patron saint of the village is 'Agios Charalambos'. Τhe church of Agios Charalambos, has a key role in the local history. It there that all the eulogies for revolutions and movements took place, inside the opioid. The burning of the three hundred turkalvans took also place there.
Another very important churche is ' Panagia Kera' the horn of which dates back to the 10th-12th century in the second Byzantine period and has a basilica rhythm. Its bell has been famous for its sound and it was a tribute to princessRossia in her grance. Inside the village there is also the church of ' Agios Georgios' the miracle worker. It is made of stone carved and a it is even said that it comes from the arab countries according to the tradition. Nikos Fokas built the famous royal cistern in the village.

'Saint Joan' at plateau ‘Livadi’

Near the village at the foot of Gourns' is located Monastery of the ' Agia Irini'. The monastery dates from 650 AD. Since then until today it has been restored 4 times. The last reconstruction took place in 1994 during the Turkish occupation. The monastery is inhabited by monks. After a massacre of 70 Turks in Krousonas, the Turks decided to take revenge. So they destroyed the monastery and slaughtered the monks and the abbot. From then until 1994 the Monastery was abandoned. The monastery was rebuilt in 1944 thanks to the interest of Krousonas priest Dimitris Fasoulakis and the Residents. So, after the last war, the katholikon of the Monastery, which is dedicated to Agia Irini and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, and two cells where the first nuns settled, were rebuilt. In the village there are 3 old stone fountains, the upper old fountain, the lower old fountain and the little fountain, which had been supplying the village with fresh water up to 1900 and which are kept in good condition until today. South of the village on the hill 'Koupos', according to the findings of archeological excavations, there was a Mycenaean or geometric settlement.

‘Vromonero’

For those who adore the nature and the meadow, the ‘vromonero’ is a great choice .
The plateau ‘Livadi’ is located 9 km west of the village Krousonas , on the eastern slopes of Psiloritis Range. It is a beautiful place to visit, especially in spring when the approximately 300.000 pear and apple trees bloom. The quiet and full of green plateau has view of the naked tops of Psiloritis mountain, and consists a unique scene.
The plateau ‘Vromonero’ or pit of effluent is located on altitude 1,300m. 10km west of the village Krousonas, in a perfect location east of Psiloriti’s top which named 'Skinakas', the observatory of University of Crete is located .
The acces is via a rural road which passes through the gorge of ‘Halasias’.

Joan Koutsogiannakis