Irakleio

Irakleio (Modern Greek: Ηράκλειο, Irakleio)—archaically Irakleion, Herakleion, sometimes called Candia—is the fifth largest city of Greece, on the northern coast of the island of Crete. It is the largest city and the capital of Crete (periphery of Crete) and of the Irakleio Prefecture. It has 140 357 inhabitants (2007).

The famous, archeological site of Knossos lies in the upper hills behind Irakleio.

Naming

The official, current name in Modern Greek is Ηράκλειο, Irakleio [iˈrakliɔ] (but in katharevousa, a former standard variety of modern Greek until 1976, it was Ἠράκλειον, Irakleion). This name is a revived use of the Ancient Greek name Ἠράκλειον, Hērákleion, designating a harbour of the Roman period, whose exact location is unknown. It refers to the hero Heracles.

In 824 AD, as the city was under Arabian rule, it was named in Byzantine Greek Χάνδαξ, Chandax, from Arabic Khandaq “moat”. This name was adapted into Càndiga, then Candia, in the Northern Italian language of the merchands and rulers of the Republic of Venice, who controled the city and the island from 1204 to 1669. The name Candia was borrowed by a lot of other languages (e.g. en English: Candia) and used to designate not only the city but the whole island of Crete. In early Modern Greek, Χάνδαξ, Chandax evolved into Χάνδακας, Chandakas.

Another Greek name appeared with the Ottoman domination (1669-1898): Megálo Kástro, Megalo Kastro “Big Castle” or simply Κάστρο “Castle”. This name is unofficial but is still in use nowadays.

In 1822, the ancient name Ηράκλειο(ν), Irakleio(n) was restored from 1822 on, as Cretans rose up against the Ottomans; this name was confirmed with the foundation of the short-lived Cretan State (1898-1913) and with the integration into the Greek state in 1913.