From nine in the morning to seven in the evening – and not until noon as before – the mythological cave of the birth and upbringing of Zeus, the Diktaion Andron, will remain open.

Dikteon Andron is considered one of the most important internationally known caves, with great mythological and archaeological interest.

The decision was made following the initiative of the Municipal Authority of the Municipality of Oropedi Lasithi, the general secretary of the Ministry of Culture Giorgos Didaskalos and the head of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Lasithi.

According to the mayor Yiannis Stefanakis, the extension of the hours was a request of the entire local community as the touristic and agricultural economy of the region is directly linked to the visitation of Dikteo Andros.

The thousands of visitors to the area did not have the opportunity to visit the world-famous monument in the afternoon hours, as coming from distant parts of the planet to the Lasithi Plateau, they found the gates of Dikteos ‘Andros closed, a phenomenon that caused discomfort to the visitors.

The imposing Cave of Zeus, Diktaion Andron, is located above the village of Psychro on the Lasithi Plateau, at an altitude of 1025m.

It has an area of ​​2200 m2, is sufficiently lit, while the routes inside it are made by a well-formed path with a total length of 250 m.

Near the entrance, to the right is an antechamber and lower down begins the great hall. Southeast of the chamber, there is a large stalagmite complex. Also, there are some old and newer buildings. A smaller chamber exists on the northwest side. Moving towards the interior, the visitor enters the great hall with its largest part covered by solid rock and large stalagmites.

In the second section is a large and very spectacular folding stalactite, called “Jupiter’s mantle”. This stalactite has been damaged by visitors to the cave.

The entire interior of the hall is impressively decorated with large columns, stalagmites, stalactites and curtains, making it one of the most spectacular caves in Crete.

THE MYTHS OF THE CAVE

Most scholars identify the Cave of Psychrou with the well-known from Mythology “Diktaion Andron”, as mentioned by Hesiod, where Zeus was born and raised with the help of Amalthea and the Barbers. For this reason it is also called the Bethlehem of the Ancient World. The same cave was associated with stories such as the seer Epimenides who “slept” here, the union of Zeus with Europe and the birth of Minos, the Harpies, etc.

According to the legend, there was an oracle that said that Saturn would be killed by his own son, so Saturn ate his own children to protect himself. So Rhea fled to Diktaeon Andros to give birth to the father of all gods, Zeus, secretly from Saturn. Rhea tricked Saturn and, instead of the infant, gave him a rock wrapped in the baby’s swaddling clothes to devour. Then she left Zeus there in the cave to be raised by the Dictaean Curites, under the care of the goat Amalthea and the nymph Melissa.

According to another legend, the cave was once forbidden to mortals. However, there were bees nesting in the cave, which had produced too much honey. Defying the prohibition, four friends, Laius, Cerberus, Cuckoo and Aegilus, entered the cave to get the honey. They put on bronze armor to avoid the stings and entered. Then, in the cave they found the seeds from the birth of Zeus. Zeus was then enraged and blasted them. But since no one could die inside the cave, Themis and the Fates transformed the four friends into birds, which today are the laios, cerberus, cuckoos and glaucus.

A secondary legend says that King Minos was born in the same cave as Zeus, that is, in Diktaeon Andros.

Another myth states that Minos came to Dikteian Andros every nine years, when the orbits of the moon and the sun converge. Then he met with his father, Zeus, and received the new laws to rule Crete. That is why Minos was also connected to absolute justice, a fact that also made him the judge of Hades when he died. This myth is a variant of the prevailing one that wants this cave to be the Ideal Andros.

Also, a variation of the well-known myth of Europa states that when Zeus, in the form of a bull, stole Europa from Phoenicia, he took her with him to Dictaean Andros, and not to Gortyna. There he revealed his true identity to her and they met. Their union resulted in the birth of Minos, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon.

Dikteo Andros is the magical cave where, according to tradition, the ancient sage Epimenides fell asleep for 57 years. After he awoke, he was the same age but had acquired divine wisdom and knowledge.

According to mythology, the Dikteo Andros was the cave where the Harpies lived. The Harpies were female monsters in the form of birds and with the head of a woman who were the messengers of Hades. They are known for the story of the punishment of Phineas.

With information from APE-MPE, lasithi.gov