The area of Aferesmenos is a fantastic place that combines everything, whoever wants to get to this point should start from Agios Nikolaos, proceed to the beautiful Elounda, a little further down will meet the beautiful plaque and the island of Spinalonga and immediately afterwards he will find the wind farm and the church of Agios Ioannis!
Then begin the difficult… backpack, water and hat. On a vertical route of about 40 minutes you will find at the edge of the slope a forgotten and old lighthouse… That’s where it all begins!
THE LEGEND OF THE LIGHTHOUSE
According to local legend, when Caiaphas crucified Christ, he began to travel to Rome to meet Caesar, but during the voyage, he died of a disease that spread throughout the ship’s crew.
Because he was a lord, they had to bury him according to custom. Arriving in Crete, they approached the small bay of Mirabello, but the sea swelled sharply. Nevertheless, the experienced sailors managed to reach the shore and bury Caiaphas.
The cape was named “of the Apostle” because according to tradition, the one who crucified Christ was buried there and the sea at this point never calmed down. In fact, many 19th century naval guides suggested to the captains that they sail at least a mile away from the Cape of Aphoresmenos.
The lighthouse at the cape was built in 1864 by the French Lighthouse Company. The height of its tower is 9 meters and its focal height is 49 meters. It joined the Hellenic Lighthouse Network on May 6, 1915 and in the context of the reconstruction of the Greek Lighthouse Network in 1951, it reactivated acetylene with an energy source. Today it operates as an automatic lighthouse using a photovoltaic system and in recent years efforts have been made to maintain and restore it, on private initiative and with the actions of local authorities.
