Venetian stairs through overgrown trees that lead up to hotels at Heraklion Square.

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Heraklion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete. It is the fourth largest city in Greece. The present city of Heraklion was founded in 824 by the Arabs under Abu Hafs Umar who had been expelled from Al-Andalus by Emir Al-Hakam I and had taken over the island from the Eastern Roman Empire. They built a moat around the city for protection, and named the city ربض الخندق, rabḍ al-ḫandaq ("Castle of the Moat"). It became the capital of the Emirate of Crete (ca. 827–961). The Saracens allowed the port to be used as a safe haven for pirates who operated against Imperial (Byzantine) shipping and raided Imperial territory around the Aegean.

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Size: 3417px × 5124px
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Photo credit: © Kisler Creations / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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