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“My father’s family comes from a village called Varvari”, wrote the famous Cretan author Nikos Kazantzakis in his book Report to Greco. This village, known today as Mirtia (15 km from Heraklion) is where the Museum of Nikos Kazantzakis is located. It was one of the first museums in Greece to be dedicated to a particular author.
The idea of founding this museum was conceived by the theatrical set designer Yorgos Anemoyannis, who eventually managed to achieve his dream. The building which houses the museum was acquired thanks to his consistent and persistent efforts, while he also took active part in putting the collection together, with the invaluable help of Eleni Kazantzaki (the author’s wife) and many other contributors.
The museum was inaugurated on June 27 1983, by Melina Mercouri, the Greek Minister of Culture at the time. Since then, it has welcomed thousands of visitors from all over the world. Visiting the museum, one has the opportunity to become acquainted with the personality of the author, by way of his personal correspondence and diaries, various other personal items and momentos from his travels, seldom published photographs, models of theatrical sets and costumes from theatrical performances of his plays, rare audio-visual material, as well as works of art inspired by his books.
The museum was thoroughly renovated in 2008, adopting a new collection display concept. This resulted in amore functional and visitor-friendly museum, especially for younger visitors, such as to successfully communicate the importance of the diverse works of Kazantzakis, and to show all aspects of the versatile personality of this great writer and thinker of the 20th century.
The permanent collection was subsequently enriched with more acquisitions that are related to Kazantzakis with one way or another. With the renewed display concept and the use of modern technology, these exhibits have helped create a more engaging presentation, which is also philologically accurate, up-to-date and dynamic.
An effort has been also made to highlight the cognitive and educational role of the museum, by way of setting up educational programmes, multimedia productions, publications, workshops, etc, activities that focus right where the museum aims.
Museum
Biography
Μυρτιά (Κεντρική Πλατεία), 70100
+30 2810 741689
Tuesday – Sunday: 09.00 – 17.00
Monday: Closed
November 1st – March 31th
Monday – Sundays: 10.00 – 15.00
Saturday: Closed
Important note
The Rural Greece is an online portal that connects travellers with unique destinations and local businesses in the countryside, offering authentic experiences through activities that highlight nature, traditions and culture.
For the Rural Greece accessibility is fundamental to enhancing an inclusive tourism experience. Following the principles of inclusion and equality, the epaithros Rural Tourism Network and its member businesses are constantly working to enhance the tourism services provided, ensuring that all visitors have the opportunity to experience the authentic beauty of the Greek countryside.
Sustainability in tourism refers to a way of developing tourism that respects and protects the environment while strengthening the local economy and preserving cultural traditions. The aim of sustainable tourism is to provide unique and authentic experiences for visitors without harming the natural and social environment, while ensuring that local communities benefit from tourism activity.
This type of tourism is based on three pillars:
With sustainable tourism, visitors can have authentic experiences, knowing that the impact of tourism on the region is positive and lasting for future generations.
For Rural Greece, localism is one of the most important factors for the development of sustainable tourism, as it promotes a strong link between the tourism product and the local society, economy and culture. Through localism, visitors get the opportunity to explore authentic elements of the destination, such as local products, traditions and culture. This not only boosts the local economy, but also helps to sustain and strengthen local businesses, creating new jobs and supporting the development of local communities.
Furthermore, localism contributes to the sustainability of the tourism sector, as it reduces the use of resources from other regions and encourages the use of local goods and services, reducing the ecological footprint of tourism activities. Thus, integrating localism into tourism practices enhances sustainability awareness, both among visitors and local businesses, creating a more responsible and sustainable tourism destination.
