Kato Simi

Kato Symi (Greek: Κάτω Σύμη) is a small historic village of Crete, in Heraklion Prefecture, 31 kilometers from Ierapetra and 74 kilometers from Heraklion city. Today it belongs to Viannos municipality and borders with Ierapetra municipality. It lies about 780 meters above sea level, south of Mount Dikti in a mountainous verdant area, which is probably the most wooded of Crete. Nearby the village, at an altitude of 1200 meters, lies the ancient sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite. It is dated from the middle Minoan period and had been used for worship more than 1000 years. Kato Simi has been destroyed three times, by Arabs, Turks and finally by the German army in World War II, when it was the center of resistance of the Viannos-Ierapetra...