We are refering to a prototype village, with rich archeological and architectural inheritance, as it was first populated 5000 years ago. It is 10 km south of Knossos and has great archeological interest , since ancient Aharna was a great minoan city which flourished between 2500 and 1400 b.c. The mountain Giouktas (the holy mountain of the Minoans), which shades over Archanes  is of most significance, not only for its location and for its shape that resembles to a human head, but also for the discovery of four sanctums. The holy mountain Giouktas took its name after Zeus (Jupider),  where, according to myths and legends, the ancient god was buried.

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Nowadays Archanes is a beautiful town, in a productive green field area with extensive vinery, that produces wine known for its good quality. The settlement of Archanes reveals great architecture interest because of its preservation of traditional, authentic architectural physiognomy, as far as both public and private buildings are concerned. Two hundred and more traditional buildings have already been preserved and refurbished. Some of them are the old elementary School at the entrance of the village, the City Hall, the central Market, the building that holds the archeological collection, the very old Churches. All of the above have been attended with the traditional structural material in the colours of ochra and minoan red.

The municipality of Archanes have made huge efforts for the place’s stand-out and the creation of high  quality of life for its residents . As a consequent,  Archanes fairly won the first award in the category titled «  Integrated and Sustainable Development of Extreme Quality”,  in the contest for the title “European Upgraded Village Award”, in which took part a lot of european villages.