Amiras or Amira is in the Viannos municipality, on the southern edges of the Dikti Mountain, 680 meters above the sea level, in a place full of olive and fruit-bearing trees. Administratively the district is consisted of Amiras and the coastal settlement of Arvi. 850 people live in both settlements and their main occupations are agriculture and garden produce.

The National Resistance Museum is in the settlement.

HISTORY

The village might have been built during the Arabic occupation (see place name).

During the German occupation and, particularly, in September of 1943, 114 people were massacred by Nazis. Many people from the near villages were massacred too. Their execution was in reprisal to the Nazi’s rout in Kato Simi.

PLACE NAME

The place name of the village came from the Arabic word “amir” that means sovereign. The village might have been built during the Arab occupation and was the possession of an Amir of Crete.

The name of the settlement comes from the Arabic language. The village was probably built during the Arab occupation and was a possession of an Amir of Crete. Then, the superior governor of Crete was called “amiras” or “emiris” (from the Arabic word “amir” or “emir”, i.e. governor).

CHURCHES

The church of Michail Archangelos, Agios Nikolaos (in the cemetery) and Agios Georgios are in the village. The country churches of Agios Charalampos and Afentis Christos are near the village.