Hadjimihalis Chateau at Omalos

On the small hill opposite the cave Tzanis, we see the tower and the church of the legendary chieftain Hadjimihalis Giannaris (1833-1916) from village Lakki, who wanted to be buried here. Giannaris was one of the pioneers of revolutions of 1866-1869 and the political kneadingtill the Union of Crete with Greece in 1913.

He was jailed several times by the Turks but always managed to escape. Indeed the church of St.

Panteleimon, next to the tower, was built as an offering for an escape in 1860 from the fortress of Firkas at Chania. At the same fort, on December 1st, 1913, together with the other chieftain from Lakki, Anagnostis Mandakas, hoisted the Greek flag after 10 centuries of slavery.