The archaeological site of Gortyn is famous for the "Great Inscription," the oldest known law code in Europe.

Gortyn (Ancient Greek: Γορτύν, also Γόρτυνα Gortyna, Modern Greek: Γόρτυς Gortys) was an ancient city in central southern Crete, about 40 kilometers south of Heraklion near Agii Deka in the Messara Plain. The name may derive from the Proto-Indo-European word *ghordh, meaning "city."

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Peter

November 18, 2025

Hiking

The various founding myths all refer to the legendary King Minos. Traces of early settlement do indeed date back to the Neolithic period; a Minoan settlement was located in the southwestern part of the area. In Homer's Iliad, Gortyn is mentioned in the catalog of ships in Book Two, line 646 (German translation by Johann Heinrich Voss).

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Albrecht

April 24, 2019

Hiking

One of the best preserved documents of ancient Greek jurisprudence from the fifth century BC. The Romans probably built these stone tablets only for decorative purposes in their Odeon ((theater), since one can assume that they could not read these texts.

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Best Hikes to Gortyn Code Inscriptions

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1. Gortyn Code Inscriptions – Odeon of Gortyna loop from Mitropoli

2.47km

00:38

10m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Elevation 20 m

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Saturday 24 January

15°C

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7 %

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Max wind speed: 15.0 km/h

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Location: Περιφερειακή Ενότητα Ηρακλείου, Greece

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Gortyn Code Inscriptions

1. Gortyn Code Inscriptions – Odeon of Gortyna loop from Mitropoli

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