Pietro Querini is the Venetian nobleman who in the early summer of 1431 in Chania, Crete embarks on a ship loaded with wine and spices, and a crew of 68. They are off to Flanders. Instead, they end up shipwrecked at Røst in Lofoten, Northern Norway.
“I, Pietro Querini from Venice, have promised myself to write down exactly, for the memory of posterity, the adversities that have befallen me and the places where they have happened to me according to the dispositions of the wheel of fate. You must know that driven by the desire to acquire honor and riches, I invested my belongings to set up a ship for a trip to Flanders. On April 25, 1431, I left Crete for this journey, which turned out to be very bitter and full of misfortunes.
My state of mind was sad for the loss of my son, and full of pain, as if it were already a premonition of the many and unbearable misfortunes that would come. Pietro Querini was a Venetian Patrician in the 15th century, a member of the powerful Querini family, and a member by right of Serenissima’s Great Council. He was Lord on the Island of Candia (Crete) and owned the fiefs of Castel di Termini and Dfnes, famous for the production of Malvasia Wine, which he traded especially with Fiandre. Bound for Bruges in Flanders in 1431, his merchant ship encountered a terrible storm off the western coast of France. The storm ravaged the ship, and the sailors had to take to lifeboats. (more…)
The present guests to Greece have the chance to follow the “fingerprints” of Greek history from the Paleolithic Era to the Roman Period in the many archeological destinations, just as in the archeological exhibition halls and accumulations that are dispersed all through the nation.
History: Paleolithic Age
The principal hints of human residence in Greece showed up amid the Paleolithic Age (approx. 120000 – 10000 B.C.). Amid the Neolithic Age that pursued (approx. 7000 – 3000 B.C.), plenty of Neolithic structures spread all through the nation. Structures and burial grounds have been found in Thessaly (Sesklo, Dimini), Macedonia, the Peloponnese, and so on.
Visiting Greece is an experience where myth and tradition, history, and culture play a leading role. A country needs to be able to show its history to the world and make people want to know about it. Like its Mediterranean neighbours, Greece has been under the influence of diverse civilizations over the centuries with traces of them left across the country for anyone to see.
Starting from the Mediaeval times, the Byzantine period, the Francs, the Ottomans, and the Venetians – cultures that influenced this land and its people – not only helped shape the country that is today Greece, the continent that is today Europe, but also us all the people living here. Greece presents its castles and welcomes visitors to them, laying stress on a different aspect of its history.
The majestic castle on Rhodes Island in the East; Spinalonga in Crete, boasting a rich and controversial history, in the South; the Byzantine city-fort of Monemvasia, Peloponnese, in the West; and the castle of Kavala in the North: the list of castles in Greece, including the above, numbers 480. The above monuments date from the Early Byzantine period (5th century A.D.) until the 19th century. (more…)
The mild sweet climate of fall in Greece is what makes short journeys to the sea and the mountains so tempting. The country’s landscape is in transition, from its summer to its autumn look. Read up on the renowned destinations that we gathered just for you and plan your trip to Greece.
Destinations: Chania
As summer in Crete lasts a bit more than anywhere else in Greece, you will enjoy the sea and the wonderful mainland throughout October on this island. An excellent place to choose for your upcoming autumn holiday is Chania. (more…)
Pietro Querini is the Venetian nobleman who in the early summer of 1431 in Chania, Crete embarks on a ship loaded with wine and spices, and a crew of 68. They are off to Flanders. Instead, they end up shipwrecked at Røst in Lofoten, Northern Norway.
