Kato Asites is a beautiful, mountain village on the foot of the Psiloreitis Mountain, 450 meters above the sea level. The distance of the village to Heraclion is 24 kilometers.

Administratively, the settlement is under the former Malevizi district of the Heraclion Municipality. According to the 2001 census, 1200 people live in the village. Kato Asites, as Ano Asites, is thought as the most traditional settlement in the area.

One of the oldest monasteries of Crete, the Gorgolaini Monastery, and the desolated Nisi settlement are under the Kato Asites district. Many houses with an architectural interest are preserved in Nisi.

There are many caverns in the area while the ruins of the Agios Antonios monastery are in Petali, near the settlement.

HISTORY

The village was built after the regaining of Crete by the Arabs, in 961 A.C. .

CHURCHES

The patron saint of Kato Asites is the Agia Paraskevi church, in the center of the village. The Metamorfosi of Sotiras and Despotis Christos churches are also in the village.

MYTHS

According to tradition, during the Ottoman Occupation, a Turk tried to kill the bride during a Cretan wedding. But the bullet from his gun was ricocheted on the wall of the Agia Paraskevi church ending up to his stomach and causing his death.