Rethymnon Prefecture Continued Page Five

The Town Beach: A breakwater keeps the sea calm for swimming, and there are cafes and showers, but you must expect crowds in summer. Better beaches to the east (beyond the harbor) which go on for miles, still crowded, but with cleaner water. You'll find all the rest along the way as you walk along the beaches, restaurants, bars, travel agents, hotels, etc.

Archaeological Museum (open Tues-Sun 8:30am-3pm;3euros). Across from the fortress, this structure was built by the Turks as a bastion,and later used as a prison. The museum was rehoused here in 1990. A beautiful building with Neolithic finds from the Yerani caves (right), with clay and stone idols, tools of bone and obsidian; one of the most inclusive collections from that period in any Cretan museum; finds from the Protopalatial settlement at Monasteraki in the Amari valley, which was excavated by the University of Crete. Figurines from the peak sanctuary of Mount Vrysinas above Rethymnon: votive offerings, mostly of worshippers and cattle, and Linear A script on a stone vase. More finds from various tombs; Mycenaean period idols; finds from excavations at Eleftherna in the foothills of Mt. Psiloritis/Mt. Ida. Artifacts from later periods: Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman.

Historical and Folk Art Museum (open Mon-Sat 9am-2pm and 6-8pm; 3euros). On Mesolongiou St. A very interesting museum with weaving , embroidery, lace. traditional costumes, knives, pottery wooden chests, musical instruments, farm implements, smith's tools, a guide to bread-making techniques, basketry, photos. Accounts of how many of the objects were found. An impressive display that illustrate the old ways that people lived for centuries in Crete up until a few decades ago.

The Guora Gate (Porta Guora), near the Platia of the Four Martyrs, is all that remains of the old walls that were meant to fortify the town after attacks by both pirates and Turks during the 16th century. It was the entrance to the old Lower Town which was near the Inner Harbor (below right) (at the northeast end of the present city) and had three bastions, with soldiers' quarters built next to one of them, some of which have survived (at Odos Ethnarchou Makariou and Leoforos Kountourioti. Though this was the main gate, there were two others. Very close by you can see a minaret and and old sundial.

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