Stavies, in the Gortyna municipality, is a settlement where many interesting cultural events are taken place in the summer.

Stavies is 60 kilometers from Heraclion in the southern edge of the plain of Mesara.

211 people live in the village according to the 2011 census. The main occupation of the residents of the village is agriculture.

Administratively the district includes the villages of Kapetaniana, Akamotos and Fournofarago. Akamoto is in the north of the Stavies village, in a plain and 230 meters above the sea level.

180 people live in Fournofarago and the water of the spring near the church of Agios Georgios is said to be healing. The church is 1 kilometer from the settlement, in the Koulourida area.

HISTORY

The first reference of the Stavies settlement is in 1370, in documents of the Ducal Records of Chandax.

It is said that the village was found from the residents of the Italian city of Stabia that destroyed in 79 A.C. because of the explosion of Vesuvius.

Akamatos is mentioned for the first time in 1583. During the Turkish occupation 4 ottoman families are shown to have lived in the village, according to the 1834 census.

Fournofaraggo is stated in Kastrofilakas and in the 1834 census with 5 Turkish families and 1 Christian.

CHURCHES

The country house of Agios Georgios is in the northern foot of Asterousia Mountains, 1 kilometer from Fournofaraggo, in Koulourida area and it is celebrated on the 23^rd of April. There is a spring with healing water in the church.

FESTIVITIES

The “Cultural Summer” is held the last years in Stavies. A number of cultural events, concerts, feasts etc are taken place.

The cultural association of Fournofarago helps a lot in order to revive the old customs.