Rethymno facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rethymno Ρέθυμνο
View of Rethymno with the Venetian Fortezza fortress
Rethymno Location in Greece
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Crete
Regional unit	Rethymno
Municipality	Rethymno
• Municipal unit	126.5 km2 (48.8 sq mi)
Elevation	17 m (56 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Municipal unit	38,759
• Municipal unit density	306.40/km2 (793.6/sq mi)
Community
• Population	35,763 (2021)
• Area (km2)	26.777
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	741 00
Area code(s)	28310
Vehicle registration	ΡΕ
Website	www.rethymno.gr

Rethymno (also called Rethymnon; Greek: Ρέθυμνο) is a beautiful city in Greece. It is located on the large island of Crete. Rethymno is the main city of the Rethymno region. More than 34,000 people live here.

This city has a very long history! It was first built during the Minoan civilization, which was a very old culture. Back then, it was known as Rhithymna and Arsinoe. The city was important enough to make its own coins. You can still see one of these old coins today. It shows two dolphins in a circle, which is now the city's symbol.

A Look at Rethymno's Past

An old mosque converted to a church, with Arabic writing

View of the old harbour

Inside the amazing Fortezza of Rethymno

The whole area around Rethymno is full of ancient history. The famous Minoan civilization had its center at Knossos, which is east of Rethymno.

Rethymno itself started to grow a lot when the Venetians took over the island. They decided to make Rethymno an important trading stop. It was located between two other big cities, Heraklion and Chania.

The Venetian Influence

The old town of Rethymno, called palia poli, was almost entirely built by the Republic of Venice. It is one of the best-preserved old towns on all of Crete. This means you can still see many buildings from the 16th century. They have cool arched doorways and stone staircases. You can also find Byzantine and ancient Greek-Roman ruins.

The city still has its old, fancy look. There's a small Venetian harbor that's very charming. The streets are narrow and fun to explore. The Venetian Loggia is an old building that now holds a government office.

Festivals and Fortresses

Rethymno hosts a Wine Festival every year in early July. It's a fun way to celebrate local products. Another important festival happens on November 7-8. It remembers the destruction of the Arkadi Monastery, a significant historical event.

The city's Venetian-era castle is called the Fortezza of Rethymno. It is one of the best-preserved castles on Crete. Other cool old places include the Neradje Mosque, which is now an arts center. There's also the Great Gate (called "Porta Guora") and the Piazza Rimondi.

Ottoman Rule and Modern Times

The Ottoman Empire took over Rethymno in 1646. They ruled the city for almost 300 years. During this time, the city was known as Resmo in Turkish.

Later, during World War II, a big battle happened here. It was called the Battle of Rethymno. German paratroopers fought against Australian and Greek soldiers. Even though the Germans faced strong resistance, they eventually won.

Today, Rethymno's main source of money comes from tourism. Many new hotels and facilities have been built in the last 20 years. Farming is also important, especially for olive oil and other Mediterranean foods.

Rethymno's Community

Dusk view of the Old Harbour of Rethymno

The Rethymno Lighthouse

A street with the belltower of Megalos Antonios church

The beautiful beach of Rethymno

Aquila Rithymna Beach

The city of Rethymno is part of a larger municipality. This municipality was created in 2011. It brought together four smaller areas:

• Arkadi
• Lappa
• Nikiforos Fokas
• Rethymno

Culture and Fun

Rethymno has several interesting museums to visit:

• Archaeological Museum of Rethymno: Learn about ancient history.
• Historical and Folklore Museum of Rethymno: Discover the city's past and traditions.
• Municipal Gallery "L. Kanakakis": See local art.
• The Frantzeskaki Collection
• Museum of Sea Life at Rethymno: Explore marine life.

A unique game called the Treasure Hunt of Rethymno is played by local people. It happens two weeks before Carnival and is a lot of fun!

Literature from Rethymno

A writer named Pandelis Prevelakis wrote a book called The Chronicle of a Town (1937). It tells a story about Rethymno from 1898 to 1924. It shares a nostalgic look at the city during that time.

Sports in Rethymno

Rethymno used to host a big international athletics event called Vardinogianneia. It stopped in 2012 because of Greece's financial problems. However, Rethymno still has many sports clubs. These clubs compete in national championships for different sports.

Here are some of the main sports clubs in Rethymno:

Education and Learning

Rethymno is an important place for education. The University of Crete has a campus here. It includes schools for Philosophy, Education, and Social Sciences. About 8,000 students study at this campus every year.

The Hellenic Mediterranean University also has a School of Music and Optoacoustic Technologies in Rethymno. Plus, there's an international research center called the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser. This institute is part of a national research facility called HELLAS-CH.

Weather in Rethymno

Climate

Rethymno's Sister Cities

Rethymno has special connections with other cities around the world. These are called "sister cities" or "twin towns." They often share cultural or historical ties.

Rethymno is twinned with:

• Ayia Napa, Cyprus
• Castenaso, Italy
• Pushkin, Russia

Images for kids

• 

  Panorama of the city

• 

  Rimondi Fountain

• 

  Venetian loggia

• 

  Guora Gate (Megali Pyli), an old city gate

• 

  View of the old town

• 

  Sultan Ibrahim mosque

• 

  The Catholic church of Agios Antonios

• 

  Eleftherios Venizelos statue

See also

In Spanish: Rétino para niños