Frangokastello, Chania - Crete | 25 Aug 2014
35.1833° N | 24.2333° E
Frangokastello is located on the south coast of Crete, 12 km east of Chora Sfakion and within the boundaries of the prefecture of Chania. It is the coastal location that refers to a castle which gave its name to the scattered settlement and the greater nearby area. Apart from its beautiful sheltered and gently shelving sandy beach right in front of the castle, the beautiful scattered beaches close by, Frangokastello has a rich history and it is certainly worth a visit. According to a legend and as described by witnesses, around the anniversary of the Battle of Frangokastello (17 May 1828), shadows of the armed Cretan and Epirote soldiers who lost their lives there seem to march towards the fortress around dawn. These have been named by the locals as “Drosoulites”, or ‘dew-men’ due to the time of day that the phenomenon is taking place and their shadows are visible from the valley. There have been attempts to give a scientific explanation to the phenomenon; however there is no accepted consensus yet.