Lentas
Origins of the name
Climate
According to the station of National Observatory of Athens, Lentas has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSh) with mild winters and hot summers. Lentas has an average annual temperature of around 21.0 °C and an average annual precipitation of around 360 mm.{{Cite web|url=https://www.meteo.gr/Monthly_Bulletins.cfm|title=Monthly Bulletins|website=www.meteo.gr}}{{Cite web |title=Latest Conditions in Lentas, Crete |url=https://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/lentas/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=penteli.meteo.gr}} Lentas alongside Psari Forada are the warmest and driest areas of Crete. Also, Lentas falls in 11a plant hardiness zone.
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location= Lentas
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|Jan high C=16.3
|Feb high C=16.7
|Mar high C=17.9
|Apr high C=21.3
|May high C=24.8
|Jun high C=29.0
|Jul high C=33.0
|Aug high C=32.8
|Sep high C=29.7
|Oct high C=25.7
|Nov high C=22.0
|Dec high C=18.2
|Jan mean C=13.8
|Feb mean C=14.1
|Mar mean C=15.2
|Apr mean C=18.2
|May mean C=21.6
|Jun mean C=25.6
|Jul mean C=29.4
|Aug mean C=29.4
|Sep mean C=26.6
|Oct mean C=22.9
|Nov mean C=19.4
|Dec mean C=15.8
|Jan low C=11.3
|Feb low C=11.6
|Mar low C=12.4
|Apr low C=15.1
|May low C=18.3
|Jun low C=22.2
|Jul low C=25.8
|Aug low C=26.1
|Sep low C=23.5
|Oct low C=20.0
|Nov low C=16.9
|Dec low C=13.3
|Jan record high C = 21.9
|Feb record high C = 25.2
|Mar record high C = 24.2
|Apr record high C = 29.7
|May record high C = 36.7
|Jun record high C = 39.6
|Jul record high C = 43.3
|Aug record high C = 42.7
|Sep record high C = 36.7
|Oct record high C = 33.2
|Nov record high C = 27.2
|Dec record high C = 23.3
|Jan record low C = 2.3
|Feb record low C = 2.3
|Mar record low C = 3.9
|Apr record low C = 7.8
|May record low C = 12.8
|Jun record low C = 16.3
|Jul record low C = 20.8
|Aug record low C = 22.3
|Sep record low C = 15.2
|Oct record low C = 14.3
|Nov record low C = 10.2
|Dec record low C = 5.3
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm=82.2
|Feb rain mm=61.7
|Mar rain mm=41.1
|Apr rain mm=13.6
|May rain mm=8.8
|Jun rain mm=5.4
|Jul rain mm=0.1
|Aug rain mm=1.1
|Sep rain mm=10.3
|Oct rain mm=30.2
|Nov rain mm=45.1
|Dec rain mm=61.0
|source 1 = National Observatory of Athens Monthly Bulletins (Dec 2011-Jan 2024){{Cite web|url=https://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/lentas/|title=Latest Conditions in Lentas, Crete|website=penteli.meteo.gr}} and World Meteorological Organization{{cite web | url=https://oscar.wmo.int/surface/#/search/station/stationReportDetails/0-300-1-lentas | title=World Meteorological Organization | accessdate=14 July 2023}}
}}
History
Lentas has been inhabited since the Neolithic and Early Minoan period (3rd millennium BC). Lentas ({{langx|grc|Λεβήνη|Lebene}}) was one of the two harbours of Gortyn, which became the most prominent city of Crete after the fall of Knossos. At the beginning of the 4th century BC, the Gortynians established a sanctuary of Asclepius at the harbour. An earthquake in 46 BC destroyed the city, but it was subsequently rebuilt. Gortyn became the capital of the province during the Roman era, which also comprised Cyrenaica (now eastern Libya). It is believed that Leben became a sanatorium where sick wealthy Romans, mainly from North Africa, received treatment. The treatment consisted of a diet with mineral water from an ancient spring near the temple of Asklepios, which was believed to have therapeutic properties and local fruits. In the early Christian and Byzantine periods, a small settlement developed and a basilica was erected. The small Byzantine church of St. John was built in the 14th century.
The archaeological investigation of the site started after the first visit of the English captain H. Spratt, in the middle of the 19th century. Excavations were carried out by the Italian Archaeological School at Athens in 1900, 1910, and 1912–13, and revealed the sanctuary and other buildings. Since then no excavation had taken place in the ancient city until recent years when the investigations of the Greek Archaeological Service brought to light the Minoan settlement and graves. The archaeological area comprises the sanctuary of Asclepius and the Byzantine church of St John.
Today, Lentas is a popular tourist destination and has rural and stock farming activities.
References
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External links
{{Commons category|Lentas}}
- [http://www.lentas.gr Official Website lentas.gr]
- [http://www.messara.de/en/weather/0/lendas Weather Forecast for Lentas]
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{{Coord|34|56|N|24|55|E|region:GR_type:city_source:enwiki-GNS|display=title}}
Category:Populated places in Heraklion (regional unit)
Category:Port settlements in ancient Crete