Cranae
Island in Greece
title: "Cranae" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["landforms-of-laconia", "geography-of-ancient-laconia", "laconian-mythology", "islands-of-peloponnese-(region)", "places-in-the-iliad", "east-mani"] description: "Island in Greece" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranae" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Island in Greece ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox islands"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Cranae |
| native_name | Κρανάη |
| native_name_lang | el |
| sobriquet | Marathonesi |
| image_name | Cranae.jpg |
| image_caption | View of the island of Cranae |
| pushpin_map | #Greece |
| pushpin_label_position | right |
| pushpin_relief | y |
| coordinates | |
| location | |
| grid_reference | |
| area_m2 | 51.6 |
| length_m | 413 |
| width_m | 17 |
| coastline_km | |
| elevation_m | 124 |
| country | Greece |
| country_admin_divisions_title | Region |
| country_admin_divisions | Peloponnese |
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 | Regional unit |
| country_admin_divisions_1 | Laconia |
| country_admin_divisions_title_2 | Municipality |
| country_admin_divisions_2 | East Mani |
| country_area_km2 | |
| country1_area_km2 | |
| population | 0 |
| population_as_of | 2011 |
| density_km2 | 0 |
| timezone1 | EET |
| utc_offset1 | +2 |
| timezone1_DST | EEST |
| utc_offset1_DST | +3 |
| :: |
| name = Cranae | native_name = Κρανάη | native_name_link = | native_name_lang = el | sobriquet = Marathonesi | image_name = Cranae.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = View of the island of Cranae | image_alt = | image_map = | map_alt = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = #Greece | pushpin_label = | pushpin_label_position = right | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_relief = y | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = | etymology = | location = | grid_reference = | archipelago = | waterbody = | total_islands = | major_islands = | area_m2 = 51.6 | area_footnotes = | rank = | length_m = 413 | length_footnotes = | width_m = 17 | width_footnotes = | coastline_km = | coastline_footnotes = | elevation_m = 124 | elevation_footnotes = | highest_mount = | country = Greece | country_admin_divisions_title = Region | country_admin_divisions = Peloponnese | country_admin_divisions_title_1 = Regional unit | country_admin_divisions_1 = Laconia | country_admin_divisions_title_2 = Municipality | country_admin_divisions_2 = East Mani | country_capital_type = | country_capital = | country_largest_city_type = | country_largest_city = | country_capital_and_largest_city = | country_largest_city_population = | country_leader_title = | country_leader_name = | country_area_km2 = | country1 = | country1_admin_divisions_title = | country1_admin_divisions = | country1_admin_divisions_title_1 = | country1_admin_divisions_1 = | country1_capital_type = | country1_capital = | country1_largest_city_type = | country1_largest_city = | country1_capital_and_largest_city = | country1_largest_city_population = | country1_leader_title = | country1_leader_name = | country1_area_km2 = | demonym = | population = 0 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_footnotes = | population_rank = | population_rank_max = | density_km2 = 0 | density_rank = | density_footnotes = | languages = | ethnic_groups = | timezone1 = EET | utc_offset1 = +2 | timezone1_DST = EEST | utc_offset1_DST = +3 | website = | additional_info = | footnotes = Cranae or Kranai ( ) (also called Marathonisi) is a Greek island on the Mani Peninsula in the southern Peloponnese. Located just off the coast of the port town Gytheio (ancient Gythium), the island is linked to the mainland by a causeway built in 1898.
Etymology
Some believe that the etymology for the name Cranae (Kranai) comes from the legendary king of Athens Kranaos, the successor of King Kekropas (Cecrops) as Athens was also known as "Kranaa". However the word Kranaos according to Homer it has the following meanings: 'Rocky', 'ragged', 'hard'. Therefore, some believe that the word Kranai literally means 'rocky', 'rock'.
The name "Marathonisi" translates to 'fennel-island', as the herb fennel was naturally growing on this island.
History
According to legend, when Paris of Troy abducted Helen from Sparta they spent their first night in Cranae. When Gythium became the major port of ancient Sparta, Cranae became a resting spot for traders.
When Greece became a part of the Ottoman Empire, the Beys of Mani fortified Cranae with a tower-house. The tower built by the Tzannetakis family in 1829 now houses the Historical and Cultural Museum of Mani.
On the island there is a chapel dedicated to St Peter (Agios Petros) which is favored by many couples to use on their weddings due to its beautiful views of the city of Gytheio and picturesque location. There is also a prominent 23m-high lighthouse built in 1873 with high-quality marble from the area of Tainaro in south Mani peninsula.
Gallery
Vue du village de Marathonice et des ruines de Gythium - Stephanopoli Dimo And Nicolo - 1800.jpg|View of the island in 1800 Gythios, island 01.JPG|View from Gytheio Agios Petros - Gythio - 01.jpg|Chapel of St Peter Lighthouse 33.jpg|Lighthouse of Cranae Gythios, island 04.JPG|Tzanetakis' tower at Cranae
References
Sources
- Pausanias, translated by W.H.S Jones, (1918). Pausanias Description of Greece. London: Harvard University Press. .
- Homer, translated by Alexander Pope. The Iliad. Penguin Books Ltd; New edition (7 Mar 1996). .
References
- {{Cite Iliad. 3.442-445
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