Anatoli

Anatoli is a traditional settlement in South Eastern Crete at the foothills of Dikti mountains at an altitude of 600m. Literally its name means "Sunrise" due to its position to receive first, compared with the surrounding settlements, the morning's sunlight. The rich heritage of the place that dates back in The Byzantine Empire, along with a turbulent history and a unique landscape, have created a cultural amalgam that is directly related with nature and is expressed in every aspect of everyday life. From the local Architecture to the people's customs and diet, this page pays homage to the aforementioned and depicts the primal force for our inspiration. 

Architecture 

The local architecture combines the available resources for building, the people's life-style, Conqueror's influences and the economical state of the society. As in most cases initial settlements were built where there was fresh supply of water. Due to the dry climate of the island springs were of great importance and highly celebrated.

The authentic architectural style, found in older constructions, combines elements of mainly Venetian and in lesser degree, Ottoman trends. Such elements were mainly found in public constructions, churches and houses of prosperous residents. Decorations were inspired by natural forms, life rituals and the Christian Orthodox tradition. The purpose of such decorations apart from its practical and aesthetic value, was to strengthen people's inner expectations for a prosperous harvest each season. Their lives were directly related with the behaviour of the natural system. 

However in most cases constructions were formed upon people's necessities, local resources and poor economic conditions. The results were simple with sometimes quirk elements of intuition to solve practical problems. Having said that, apart from the aforementioned constraints, difficulties and out-of the box approaches, the outcome has always remained aesthetically pleasant.