Σπήλαιο Μιλάτου

Milatos Andron - Cave Milato - Milatos Cave

Useful Information

Location:	North side of Mount Dikti, in the area of Iraklio, Crete. 3 km drive and 300 m/10 minutes walk from Milatos. (35.3082150, 25.5779611)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Heidelbergische Jahrbücher der Literatur, Volume 61, Part 1, January to July, pp 168-169.
Address:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

FEB-1823	almost 3,600 refugees killed at the cave by the Egyptian-Turkish army led by Hassan Pasha during the Greek War of Independence.
1935	chapel dedicated to St Thomas the Apostle erected.

Description

Σπήλαιο Μιλάτου (Spilaio Milatos, Milatos Cave) is also known as Μιλάτος Άντρον (Milatos Antron). Spilaio and Andron both translate "cave", they are synonyms, so this is more or less the same. The cave is named after the nearby village Milatos Lasithiou, which belongs to the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos. The name originates in the ancient city of Milatou, which is mentioned in the Iliad, and that she sent warriors led by Idomeneus. The location of the ancient city is not exactly known, she was destroyed long ago by her former ally, Lyttos. So this actually could have been her location, some tombs of the Late Minoan period III (1300-1220 BC) were excavated in 1919 by Stefanos Xanthoudis. But that's a rather vague connection. The cave is also named Σπήλαιο του Ραπά (Cave of Rapa, Cave of Rapas).

The cave has been visited by man since the Neolithic. During excavations, remains were found. But it is famous for an event in 1823, which is mentioned on a sign at the trailhead. Another carved inscription above the left entrance gives more details but only in Greek. This was the time of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman occupiers.

In 1821, resistance against the Ottoman Empire formed on Crete. In 1822, an Egyptian-Turkish army led by Hassan Pasha landed on Crete to put down the uprising. When he camped near Neapoli in the spring of 1823, the Greek Christians from Neapoli and the surrounding area sought refuge in the cave of Milatos. Depending on the source, the number of refugees varies between 370 and 3,600. There were between 30 and 300 armed men, the others were women and children. On 03-FEB-1823, Hassan Pasha had the valley in which the cave was located sealed off so that no one could escape. Then the cave entrance was shelled with artillery from the opposite hill. 300 Sfakiotes led by Rousos Vourdoumbas and a large number of fighters from Lappa under Georgios Souderos came to the aid of those trapped. They inflicted painful losses on the besiegers and drove them away, but not before they stole the cattle and sheep. And they continued the siege, while the Greeks protected the entrance to the cave with sacks of wool to cushion the impact of the cannonballs. On 15-FEB-1823, the refugees finally had to give up because they had nothing left to eat or drink. But despite their surrender, most were killed, first all but 30 fighters and 18 priests were killed, and the older women were trampled to death by the cavalry. The priests were burned at the stake, while the fighters were taken prisoner to Spinalonga, where they were later executed. Younger women and children were sold into slavery.

In other words, the army of Hassan Pasha massacred hundreds or thousands of men and women, and enslaved the children. The bones of the Christians who were killed here were buried in a shrine or war memorial inside the cave. It is rather weird as there are glass windows through which the bones inside can be seen. And actually, the number of bones is pretty low, it looks like the bones of one or two persons, not a few hundred. Next to it, a chapel dedicated to Saint Thomas the Apostle was erected in 1935. If the shrine was created at the same time, there was probably not more left after more than 100 years. An annual memorial service is held in the cave to honor the victims.

The cave is not really huge, but it is rather spacious, 73 m long and 63 m wide, a total of 2,100 m². The ceiling is only about 3 m high, several areas much lower. There are stalagnates or pillars, which look like they were supporting the roof. However, they are heavily damaged by the artillery as well as the heavy use since then. The cave has four entrances, the left two lead to smaller niches, which are connected to the main cave, the right two entrances lead to the main chamber. There are four more openings which are not comfortable as entrances, but the eight holes make the cliff look riddled with caves.

In the main chamber is the church and shrine at the right wall. Further in, the chamber goes a little to the right and downhill. At the far end are the remains of a Bronze Age altar, and the pit of the excavation where Neolithic remains were found. The cave is rather low, and so the light does not reach the end of the cave. If you want to see the whole cave, a lamp is necessary, for the church daylight is sufficient. There are lamps inside the cave, but we guess they are only for certain events. The cave has no electricity, so a generator is required.

The cave is reached from Milatos on the road to Kountali. After 2.1 km, there is a restaurant named Paradise bar and grille with a car park which is also the starting point of the 300 m long trail to the cave. If the car park is full, there is another one 300 m before.