Amnatos is a local community of the Rethymno Municipality in the Rethymno (regional unit) of the region of Crete established by Kallikratis reform. Previously, it was part of the municipal district of Municipality of Arkadi. Amnatos is a traditional settlement and is classified in Class II, that is of "average cultural value" (Government Gazette 728/21-9-1995).Antonogiannakis Michael, The Vrisinas, The Mount Rethemnous, topographic, geographic, historical, social and folkloric perspective, Athens 2010 (in Greek), p 382 Buildings with Venetian architectural elements are scattered throughout the village. In 2005 Amnatos received an award of the "cleaner and organized traditional community".
Geography It is located on the northeastern edges of the Gargano mountain, 17 km (10.6 miles) southeast of Rethymno, on the way to Arkadi, at an altitude of 320 m.Left. Kryovrysanakis, Rethymniotikos Digest, Typospoudi versions, Rethymnon 1993, pp. 89 It has a view of the North Sea and the Cretan mountain Psiloreitis.
Origin of name and history The location of the village appears to have been inhabited since ancient times and it is believed that the name Amnatos has Minoan origin.Papyrus Larousse Britannica, Athens, 1996, Volume 7 Ancient Greeks used to call amnion all those vessels used at their time to collect the blood of sacrificed animals.
The area was occupied by the Venetians and the Ottomans.
Nowadays, the local community of Amnatos consists of four settlements: Amnatos, Kapsaliana (Καψαλιανά), Pikris (Πίκρης) and the Arkadi Monastery. Population of AmnatosHellenic Statistical Authority, Digital Library (ELSAT), Census (Greek and English) Settlement 1940 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 20012011 2021 Amnatos 372 328 276 213 193 196 147 156 134 Kapsaliana 58 31 27 16 12 4 2 1 7 Arkadi Monastery 40 60 32 23 18 13 9 6 3 Pikris 183 205 151 111 121 77 64 55 47 Total 653 624 486 363 344 290 222 218 191
Attractions: monuments, temples, and important buildings Among the many Venetian buildings in the village of Amnatos, there is a house with a particularly impressive doorframe. The crown of the gable has the inscription: "INITIUM SAPIENTE TIMOR DOMINI" (in English: "The Beginning of Wisdom is Fear of the Lord").
There is also a folk museum and a Municipal Museum of the History of Greek Education.
Amnatos is the home village of Harikleia Daskalaki, a heroine of the Arkadi holocaust. A statue of her is found in the square of the village.
Transportation There is bus service (KTEL) from and to Rethymnon in this area (route for Arkadi Monastery, which has three services on weekdays and two on weekends). ΚΤΕΛ Χανίων - Ρεθύμνου - Αρχική (Bus timetables, Chromonastiri (in German)]), retrieved 2016-07-09
References
External links Photo Gallery, Web site of municipality of Rethymnno retrieved 9 April 2012 ΡΕΘΥΜΝΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΠΕΣ ΞΕΝΟΔΟΧΕΙΑ ΕΝΟΙΚΙΑΖΟΜΕΝΑ ΔΩΜΑΤΙΑ ΒΙΛΕΣ ΚΡΗΤΗ. ΡΕΘΥΜΝΟ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΣ ΦΥΣΗ ΠΑΡΑΔΟΣΗ | Ελληνικά | Καλωσορίσατε στον δικτυακό τόπο του Ρεθύμνου - Τουριστική Προβολή (Cycling routes, Web site of municipality of Rethymnno), retrieved 9 April 2012