Heraklion (regional unit)


Heraklion is one of the four regional units of Crete. The capital is the city of Heraklion.

Geography

The regional unit of Heraklion borders on the regional units of Rethymno to the west and Lasithi to the east. Farmlands are situated in the central and the northern parts, at the coast and in valleys. The mountains dominate the rest of the regional unit, notably the south. The main mountains are parts of Ida or Idi Mountains to the west and Asterousia in the south. The regional unit includes the island of Dia to the north.
Except for the mountains which receive mild to cool winters unlike northern Greece, the warm to hot Mediterranean climate dominates the regional unit.

Ancient history

Within the Heraklion regional unit's boundaries are a number of significant Neolithic and Minoan settlements, most notably the ancient palace complexes of Knossos and Phaistos. While both archaeological sites evince Neolithic habitation from 7000 BC, it is the rich finds of Minoan civilisation, which flourished approximately 2800 to 1450 BC, that command the greatest scholarly attention.
Important ancient cities are:
The regional unit Heraklion is subdivided into 8 municipalities. These are :
The Heraklion prefecture was created in 1915, after Crete joined with the rest of Greece. As a part of the 2011 Kallikratis government reform, the regional unit Heraklion was created out of the former prefecture Heraklion. The prefecture had the same territory as the present regional unit. At the same time, the municipalities were reorganised, according to the table below.
New municipalityOld municipalitiesSeat
Archanes-AsterousiaArchanesPeza
Archanes-AsterousiaAsterousiaPeza
Archanes-AsterousiaNikos KazantzakisPeza
FaistosZarosMoires
FaistosMoiresMoires
FaistosTympakiMoires
GortynaGortynaAgioi Deka
GortynaAgia VarvaraAgioi Deka
GortynaKofinasAgioi Deka
GortynaRouvasAgioi Deka
Heraklion
HeraklionHeraklion
Heraklion
GorgolainisHeraklion
Heraklion
Nea AlikarnassosHeraklion
Heraklion
PalianiHeraklion
Heraklion
TemenosHeraklion
Hersonissos
HersonissosGournes
Hersonissos
EpiskopiGournes
Hersonissos
GouvesGournes
Hersonissos
MaliaGournes
MaleviziGaziGazi
MaleviziKrousonasGazi
MaleviziTylisosGazi
Minoa PediadaArkalochoriEvangelismos
Minoa PediadaThrapsanoEvangelismos
Minoa PediadaKasteliEvangelismos
ViannosViannosAno Viannos

Provinces

Note: Provinces no longer hold any legal status in Greece.

Transport

The following television channels serve the prefecture: