Milatos Crete
Milatos consists of two settlements, one on the coast and the
other a little further inland. It is about 32.5km north-west of
Agios Nikolaos and comprises a population of around 400
inhabitants.
On the site of the inland Milatos excavations have discovered
the remains of the ancient Minoan city of Milatos which was
established there until the 3rd century BC when it was destroyed
by the ancient town of Lytto. The village's name has an
interesting origin. Legend tells that the town was named after a
feral boy, Milatos, who was raised by a wolf and, as a teenager,
went on to kill a local tyrant, thus freeing the population from
oppression. A second legend suggests that Milatos was also the
founder of a Cretan colony, Militou, in Asia Minor.
Places of interest to visit in and around Milatos include the
Cave of Milatos which is located on the slopes of a deep ravine
and is 3km away from the village. The cave has eight entrances
which are all side by side on the front of the cave which is
40metres in length. The cave itself covers an area of some 2,000
square metres and inside are some wonderful stalactites and
stalagmites. Also, above one of the entrances, there is a carved
inscription commemorating the massacre of 3,600 men, women and
children who were murdered here in 1823 by the Turkish army
General Hassan.
Their remains were buried in a memorial tomb inside the cave.
Next to the cave there is the small church of St. Thomas erected
in the memory of this horrific event. .
