Artist run rural residency
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A beautiful hidden village, looking for ways to thrive into the future.
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The Ano Asites Artists Residency is the sister residency to the Lakkos Artists Residency in Heraklion city. The Lakkos Artists Residency has been running since 2015. After a request from some of the locals in Ano Asites village a new residency was started. The project started in 2019, and hopes over time to create an artistic community based in the village.
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The Village
Ano Asites lies 24km from Iraklion and has around 300 inhabitants. The residency house is located on the edge of the old part of the village. The architecture and rural setting are very inspiring.
A big part of the surrounding area is covered by forest on the eastern side of the mountain Psiloritis.
Near the village there is the Byzantine chapel of Agios Antonios located in the ravine with the same name a place of exceptional natural beauty. From here passes the European Hiking Path (E4) which leads to the shelter "Prinos" ( of the Mountaineering Club of Iraklion - altitude 1100 m a.s.l.) located in a holly (=prinos) forest.
On the south of the village is the ravine of Agios Haralambos and Mihalopotamos (river) where can be found "nyhteridospilios" (= bat-cave) a cave 100m deep with water and plenty of bats.
Other important sights in the area are: the caves "kynigospilios" and "siderospilia" and the perennial oak at Kouvdi.
According to many archaeologists, the ancient town of Panona was located here. Around the village there are Roman thermae close to the place where the ancient city of Rizinia used to be.
There is also a cemetery where 680 tombs were unearthed from the Minoan up to the Roman period.
The above findings show that the area played a significant role in the history of central Crete during the ages. The continuous human presence in the area is also proved by the "nekropolis" at the location "Siderospilia" (iron - cave).
The patron Saint is "Agios Ioannis" and there is a village feast on the 29th August in his honor.
Ano Asites lies 24km from Iraklion and has around 300 inhabitants. The residency house is located on the edge of the old part of the village. The architecture and rural setting are very inspiring.
A big part of the surrounding area is covered by forest on the eastern side of the mountain Psiloritis.
Near the village there is the Byzantine chapel of Agios Antonios located in the ravine with the same name a place of exceptional natural beauty. From here passes the European Hiking Path (E4) which leads to the shelter "Prinos" ( of the Mountaineering Club of Iraklion - altitude 1100 m a.s.l.) located in a holly (=prinos) forest.
On the south of the village is the ravine of Agios Haralambos and Mihalopotamos (river) where can be found "nyhteridospilios" (= bat-cave) a cave 100m deep with water and plenty of bats.
Other important sights in the area are: the caves "kynigospilios" and "siderospilia" and the perennial oak at Kouvdi.
According to many archaeologists, the ancient town of Panona was located here. Around the village there are Roman thermae close to the place where the ancient city of Rizinia used to be.
There is also a cemetery where 680 tombs were unearthed from the Minoan up to the Roman period.
The above findings show that the area played a significant role in the history of central Crete during the ages. The continuous human presence in the area is also proved by the "nekropolis" at the location "Siderospilia" (iron - cave).
The patron Saint is "Agios Ioannis" and there is a village feast on the 29th August in his honor.
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Our recent stay at the Lakkos Project Residency in Ano Asites was a revelation. Though we had been to Crete for the last two years, we had not experienced living in a small mountain village. Ano Asites, on the slopes of Mt. Psiloritis, is one of the most charming and authentic villages we had encountered, and was only a half hour drive up the mountain from Heraklion. The residency accommodation is likewise authentic village architecture, with beautiful views, balconies, a courtyard, great bathroom, and welcoming neighbors. The friendly local Kafenion offers snacks and local liquid refreshment, as Ano Asites is a center for wine and raki production. Nearby can be found two picturesque gorges for hiking and contemplation, and the streets themselves, and the vernacular architecture, are an inspiring locale. We found an added bonus to Ano Asites, a restaurant with stunning views and great food that we heard about in New York, “Earino,” which also has a hotel on site. We look forward to our return to Ano Asites during the next mural season.
John Bowman 07/10/2019
