<The village of Marathos on the island of Crete
Marathos is a village at 400 meters altitude, along the Old National Road from Heraklion to Rethymnon.
The distance to the capital Heraklion is about 20 kilometers and the village of Fodele is 7 kilometers away. Marathos is an old village and it is already mentioned in 1577. It is built on a pre-historical site. Marathos is a fairly lively village with about 400 inhabitants. People here mainly live from agriculture and livestock farming and from the cultivation of olives. There are a number of taverns and mini markets in the village.
Marathos can be reached via the route Heraklion - Gazi - Marathos.
There are two churches in the village of Marathos and there is a large war memorial that was made by the famous sculptor Klinakis Yannis, who was born in the village of Marathos. Right next to this war memorial is another, smaller monument in memory of a soldier who died in 1974. The sign says: "Commando (Soldier of Special Forces) Toulis Illias fell in duty for the nation in July 1974 on Cyprus". Every year a remembrance is held on the military base in Maleme in memory of him. The large church of the village with its dome and high bell tower is right next to the smaller church belonging to the cemetery of the village.