Chiseling at Malavisi

In the little village of Fodele, reputed to be the home of El Greco, you find the usual assortment of tourist tavernas, home made craftwork , a museum dedicated to El Greco, an accent church, a lovely river and pretty walks that you expect to find in a quiet village whose income is made from the reputation of it's famous son. There is a 2000 year old plane tree and a lovely children's playground just tucked over the river - beautifully and lovingly made from wood.

What you may not be expecting is the garden of modern sculptures

In 2014, as part of the 400 anniversary celebrations of El Greco, there was an international sculpture symposium "Chiseling at Malavizi"

This display shows some of the works from that symposium

"Girl with a guitar"

If you would like to see a video of the symposium, interviews with the sculptors and work in progress please take a look here

I thought I should finish with a traditional bust of El Greco who was a man ahead of his time and who broke boundaries. I am sure he would approve of the sculpture garden!

El Greco

Domenikos Theotokopoulous ( El Greco) was said to have been born in Crete, approximately 25 kilometers from Heraklion ( then known as Chandax) near an old church of the Virgin Mary (Theotokos). This is believed to be the village of Fodele and the reputed house of his birth is indeed next to a very ancient church of "The Panagia"(Theotokos) from where the family is said to take their name

The island was under Venetian rule at the time

This 1000 year old plane tree would have been an old tree when El Greco was born in 1541- amazing

The church of the Panagia next to the reputed home of El Greco

The Byzantine church is built on the even earlier foundations of a 7c church

The older church was a basilica with three aisles

You can clearly see the older structure

Next to the church is a museum dedicated to El Greco housed in his reputed birthplace

The old oven

The oven from the outside

Inside are many illuminated copies of his paintings

I particularly liked this painting of his family  - which includes the cat!

A room set out as an artists studio illustrating the type of paints he would have been working with

Truly amazing how a boy from a tiny village in Crete could travel to Spain in the 1500's and become one of the world's greatest artists. 

Last night I watched the film El Greco - here is a trailer - a great film!

Fodele - Birthplace of an artist

The little Cretan village of Fodele is tucked away in the hills and valleys near to Heraklion. It was the birthplace  of Domenikos Theotokopoulous - better known to us as El Greco"

El Greco - 1541 – 7 April 1614

When we visited we found that there was a week of celebrations for El Greco taking place

There is a lovely little river running through the village and a wood build children's pay area over a wooden bridge

Amazing to think that this Plane tree, thought to be about 1000 years old, would have already been an old tree of about 500 when El Greco was a boy!

The main street is simply a strip of tourist shops and tavernas

But the old village is a maze of tiny houses and lanes

Tiny little doorways - 

Arched windows

Cool corners

And suddenly amongst the old -the modern!

Many of the shops sell locally made embroidery and macrame

ladies of the village making articles for the shops

The 14c church of the Panagia - built on an even earlier 7c basilica

El Greco is believed to have been born and lived next to this church - from which the family got it's name (more of this in tomorrow's blog)

We stopped at a little cafe for breakfast called "Domenico"

The river quietly drifts by

the water so clear you can see the stones on the river bed

A resident

I tried the home made Orange cake with a Greek coffee

The oranges for the cake came from the owner's orange groves with caramelized oranges on top

Fred tried the small English breakfast and we shared some yogurt and honey whilst enjoying the shade.

You may like to know:

Service: Pleasant and friendly.

Type of food: Typical tourist offerings - with home made cake.

Prices, Very reasonable - not hiked up for tourist trade

"Star ratings"- on the "Guzunder" scale 7. 

- Clean, doors have locks, toilet seats present, paper and paper towels available. 

No complementary extras offered 

Would we return? Yes, certainly, a very pleasant place to stop.