Irakleio

Irakleio (Modern Greek: Ηράκλειο, Irakleio)—formerly Irakl(e)ion, sometimes called Candia—is the fourth 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 142 112 inhabitants (2001).

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] (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 and 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”. Later, this name evolved in Càndiga, then Candia, in the Northern Italian language of the merchands and rulers of the Republic of Venice. 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 1822, the ancient name Ηράκλειο, Irakleio was restored.