Cranae or Kranai ( ) (also Marathonisi) is an island off the coast of Gytheio (ancient Gythium) connected to the land by a causeway built in 1898.
Etymology
Some believe that the etymology for the name Cranae (Kranai) comes from the legendary king of Athens
Cranaus, the successor of King
Cecrops I as Athens was also known as "Kranaa". However the word Kranaos according to
Homer it has the following meanings: 'Rocky', 'ragged', 'hard'. Therefore, some believe that the word Kranai literally means 'rocky', 'rock'.
The name "Marathonisi" translates to 'fennel-island', as the herb fennel was naturally growing on this island.
History
According to legend, when Paris of Troy abducted Helen from
Sparta they spent their first night in Cranae.
When
Gythium became the major port of
ancient Sparta, Cranae became a resting spot for traders.
When Greece became a part of the Ottoman Empire, the of Mani fortified Cranae with a Maniot tower. The tower built by the Tzannetakis family in 1829, now houses the Historical and Cultural Museum of Mani.
On the island there is a chapel dedicated to St Peter (Agios Petros) which is favored by many couples to use on their weddings due to its beautiful views of the city of Gytheio and picturesque location. There is also a prominent 23m-high lighthouse built in 1873 with high-quality marble from the area of Tainaro in south Mani peninsula.
Gallery
Vue du village de Marathonice et des ruines de Gythium - Stephanopoli Dimo And Nicolo - 1800.jpg|View of the island in 1800
Gythios, island 01.JPG|View from Gytheio
Agios Petros - Gythio - 01.jpg|Chapel of St Peter
Lighthouse 33.jpg|Lighthouse of Cranae
Gythios, island 04.JPG|Tzanetakis' tower at Cranae
Sources
-
Pausanias, translated by W.H.S Jones, (1918). Pausanias Description of Greece. London: Harvard University Press. .
-
Homer, translated by Alexander Pope. The Iliad. Penguin Books Ltd; New edition (7 Mar 1996). .
