Chochlakies is a small settlement located inland in the Municipality of Hersonissos, near the village of Episkopi, at a distance of 20km from Heraklion. It is built at an altitude of 320 meters on one of the many hills in the area.
Historically, Chochlakies served as a metochi (dependency) of the residents of Lasithi. Due to the harsh winters in Lasithi, the Lasithian farmers and livestock breeders would bring their animals down from the mountains to the plains, specifically to Chochlakies, which acted as their winter pastureland (chimadi). The farmers would spend the entire winter there with their livestock, cultivating their olive groves and collecting the harvest during the autumn descent to the chimadia. In the spring, around April, they would return to Lasithi in the Dikti mountains, where their mitata (stone-built huts used as shelters for shepherds), sheepfolds, and cheese dairies were located.
Church of Agios Georgios
A notable point of interest in Chochlakies is Toupaki Hill, situated 2km east of the village. This area offers a green, recreational space, abundant with pines, cypresses, carob trees, and wildflowers. Toupaki Hill is also home to the Byzantine church of Agios Georgios (Saint George), which originally served as the katholikon (main church) of a small monastery. From the beginning of the 16th century, this monastery functioned as a metochi of the Agarathos Monastery. Aside from the church, a vaulted cistern from the old monastery still remains.
Settlement: Key Points
- Historical References: Chochlakies served as a winter metochi for farmers from Lasithi.
- Location: Chochlakies is in the Municipality of Hersonissos, near Episkopi, 20km from Heraklion, at an altitude of 320 meters.
- Historical Significance: The village is linked to the historical agricultural practices of the Lasithi Plateau.
- Population Data:
Year |
Population |
|---|---|
1920 |
26 |
1928 |
10 |
1940 |
0 |
1951 |
0 |
1961 |
40 |
1971 |
39 |
1981 |
14 |
1991 |
14 |
2001 |
51 |
2011 |
2 |
2021 |
17 |
References
