Hamalevri
Hamalevri is a village in the prefecture of Rethymno, located approximately 13 km east of the homonymous city, near the settlements of Asteri, Sfakaki and Stavromenos. These four villages comprise a wide archaeological site. Excavations performed there revealed a big settlement inhabited since the Early Minoan III period (about 2.000 BC) to the Christian period.
The Hamalevri village is mentioned in the Venetian censuses and has already been referred to by its current name since the 1577.
During the Revolution of 1866, the Hamalevri village, along with the neighboring Asteri, was looted by the Turks, who completely destroyed the houses of the Christian inhabitants.
There are some tourist facilities in the region, such as guest-houses, villas and apartments. Some of the most beautiful beaches of northern Rethymno, such as the beach of Stavromenos and Sfakaki, are located in close proximity to the village, where visitors can enjoy sunbathing and swimming.
The most imposing attraction of the village is the Tower of Hamalevri, a building of an exquisite architecture, erected by the Venetians in the 15th century. The Tower was probably used as a communicational beacon because of its location, which offers exceptional views at the sea, the stream, the valley and the mountains of inland Rethymno. Later, the Tower was used by the Turks as the operational base against the local rebels. In the early 1900s, after the liberation of Crete, it was obtained by the family of the current owners.
There is another settlement named Hamalevri in the prefecture of Chania.
