HISTORY
Life in Rethymno begun in the later Neolithic years (3500-2800 bc). Archaelogical findings testify the existence of a settlement during the late Minoan period (1350-1250 BC). It is believed that Rythimna was an ancient town sited in the same place that Rethymno is today, and it had a significant civilization during the 5th and the 4th century BC.
In the Roman ages (69 BC- 395 AD) the town became a Roman province and sank into decay.In the first Byzantine period (395-824 AD) the city was besieged and taken by the Arabs (826-961). But in 961 AD a Byzanntine general, Nicephorus Phocas, liberated the island, and united it again to the Byzantine Empire.
In the second Byzantine period (961-1204/10) Venetians became the masters of the island (1204-1669).At that period we had the Cretan renaissance, with important plays, byzantine icons and other works of art. Literature and art flourished and the city prospered. A lot of historic buildings were built at that period.But all this ended in 1669 when the Turkish army invaded in Crete and dark ages begun for the island of Crete. In 1770 a revolution against the Turks begun and in 1898 the island of Crete became independent and joined with the rest of Greece in 1913.
In the second world war Germans invaded in Crete in 21th May 1941. Rethymno resisted heroically but at the end Germans took over the town and the island. In Rethymno brave soldiers from England, Australia and New Zealand lost their lives for Crete's freedom. After the war the conditions of living were difficult and lots of people immigrated to Germany, Canada, Australia and other countries.
In the last two decades Rethymno prospers, life in town has become extremely easy and nice. There are a lot of hotels, monuments, shops, bars and clubs and Rethymno has become a dream-town.
RETHYMNO
THE MAGIC FROM ANOTHER AGE
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