The Nymphaeum in Gortys

The Nymphaeum of Gortys is in the Praetorium area, north of the basilica. Unfortunately you can only admire it from a distance as it is closed to the public

The Nymphaeum is a marble fountain with a cistern dating from the 2nd century AD, built to supply the Praetorium with water. Water was so precious, both in arid Crete and in the rest of Greece, that Nymphs or other water deities were worshipped wherever there was running water – hence the name Nymphaeum.

Here ends our tour of the Praetorium archaeological site. We follow the cobbled path past the ruins of walls with large arches and come to the tarmac road. We turn left to return to the archaeological site of Gortys, a few minutes’ walk away.