page_title: Kallikratis
section_title: Geography
hierarchical_section_title: Kallikratis / Geography
caption_attribution_description: English: Panoramic view of some of the hairpin turns on the road between Kallikratis and Kapsodasos. The Frangokastello plain and the South Cretan Sea are seen in the distance. Created by stitching together 13 images.
context_page_description: Kallikratis is a small village belonging to the municipality of Sfakia, in southwest Crete, Greece.
  According to tradition, it was named after the admiral Manoussos Kallikratis, who in March 1453 led a campaign to reinforce the defense of Constantinople with 5 ships and 1500 Cretan volunteers. As reported by Sphrantzes in his Chronicle, these volunteers manned three towers on the walls of Constantinople and continued to fight bravely even after the city had fallen. In recognition of their gallantry, sultan Mehmed allowed them to safely sail back to Crete, retaining their weapons.
context_section_description: Kallikratis is situated off the beaten tourist path and is made up of four widely separated neighborhoods that are scattered on a small plateau in Lefka Ori with an average altitude of 540m. It can be reached via Myriokefala, Asi Gonia or Asfendos, or via a recently paved road with more than 25 tight hair-pin turns, which starts in Kapsodasos and offers stunning views of the Frangokastello plain and the South Cretan Sea in the distance. Kallikratis is also on the E4 walking route. Kallikratiano (i.e. Kallikratis') gorge starts southwest of the village and ends in the village of Patsianos, maintaining important natural habitats. The gorge can be crossed on a 4 km path. Before 1900, Kallikratis was a large village with more than 130 families. Today, only a few tens of inhabitants still live in the village and many of the houses are deserted. Kallikratis is almost uninhabited during the colder months of the year, since in that time the local shepherds move with their herds in transhumance to the warmer climate of the villages near the shore.
caption: The road from Kapsodasos to Kallikratis.
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