The Samaria Gorge is located in Crete, in the prefecture of Chania. With a length of 18 kilometers, it is the longest canyon in Europe. It has been a National Park of Greece since 1962 and is home to many endemic species of birds and animals, the best known of which is the Cretan goat also known as kri-kri. It took its name from the now abandoned village of Samaria, which in turn owes its name to the church of Osias Maria. During the Turkish occupation, it was a hideout for rebels and the local population.
