“Passers-by, when you go to Viannos, don’t walk on graves in order not to be burnt. Brothers were buried there that were fighting for freedom. They killed mothers, they slaughtered children, and no-one dared not to follow the law of Germans” (Lyrics of a traditional song)

Ano Viannos is a historical village and the seat of the Viannos municipality. It is built amphitheatrically on the southern foot of the Dikti Mountain, 560 meters above the sea level and 38 kilometers from Ierapetra.

The name of the village is usually referred without the place specification, “Ano” (i.e. beneath in Greek), but only with the place name “Viannos”. Agios Nikolaos, Kapsali, Loutraki, the coastal Keratokampos settlement and Agia Moni, the male monastery dedicated to Koimisis of Theotokos, are under the Viannos district. Agia Moni is near the entrance of the Kavousi gorge that ends to Keratokampos. 1200 people live in the district and 900 only in Viannos. Their main occupations are agriculture and livestock.

A clinic, banks, a CSC (Citizens' Service Centre) and other services are in the village. Restaurants, rooms to let and the Historical and Folklore Museum are also in Ano Viannos. Agia Monis is close to the settlement.

Viannos is built on the ruins of the ancient city of Viennos or Vienna. That city was autonomous and with its currency, with a woman’s head on the one side and a flower on the other.

HISTORY

The ancient city of Viennos was in the west of the today’s settlement. It was autonomous and its coins had Artemis’s head on the one side and a flower with the “VIANI” word on the other. Viennos existed until the end of the 9^th century and after that is under Ierapetra.

Viannos is stated with 1006 residents in the 1583 Kastrofilakas’s census. 103 Christian and 90 Turkish families were recorded in 1834, during the Turkish Occupation. In 1822 and 1866 the village was destroyed completely by the Turks.

In 1943, during the Nazi Occupation, many executions were done in Viannos and the rest of the villages in the area.

The journalist and novelist, Ioannis Kondilakis, was born in Viannos. He was founder and the first president of ESIEA and “O Patouchas” and “Otan imoun daskalos” are some of his works.

CHURCHES

The churches of Agia Pelagia and Agios Georgios from the middle of the 14^th century, Michail Archagelos, Agia Marina, Agios Dimitrios and Agia Aikaterini are in Viannos.

The Evagelismos of Theotokos church is in Loutraki. Agia Moni, the monastery that is dedicated to Koimisis of Theotokos, is also under the Viannos district.

FESTIVITIES

Festivities called “Kondilakeia” are held in Viannos every year and last three days. A memorial service takes place on the 14^th of September for the executed residents of Viannos and the villages near it.