Place Names of Voulismeni

Place Names and Local Memory

Place names of Voulismeni

The place names of Voulismeni preserve memories of churches, fountains, fields, passes, old estates, families, natural features, and stories of the village.

This section presents a systematic list of place names in Voulismeni, as preserved through local memory, rural life, historic estates, churches, fountains, passes, and the village’s natural landscape.

Place Names

Entry	Meaning / Note
Agadic	A large olive grove near the Panagia Vigliotissa area. It is linked to older properties and memories of the Ottoman period.
Saint Irene	An old church in the village, dedicated to Saint Irene and Saint Pelagia. It was one of the oldest parish churches in Voulismeni.
Saint Catherine	A church within the settlement. The iconostasis bears the monogram of Saint Catherine and the date AFP, which stands for 1580.
Saint Constantine	An area with olive trees and pastureland on the slope of Kavalaras, around the church of Saints Constantine and Helen.
Saint Nikitas	A location north of the village, where the cemetery and the church of the same name are located.
Saint Nicholas	An old church on the outskirts of the village, on the old footpath leading to Vigli.
Saint Nufrio	Local name for Agios Onoufrios. A hill north of the village featuring a single-aisled church with frescoes and the ruins of older structures.
Azilakoplagos	A hillside on the community pasture, full of azilakas. The azilakas is a tree related to the holm oak and the oak.
Ai-Yiannis	A hillside covered with olive trees east of the village, where the ruins of an old church dedicated to Saint John once stood.
Ai-Yiannis in the village	A single-aisled church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, known from old ecclesiastical records.
Ai-Giorgis	Church of Saint George near Saint Onuphrius, at a site associated with ancient monastic traditions.
Ai-Giorgios, Harakia	A hillside south of the village with distinctive rocks. The name is associated with an old monastic estate of Saint George.
Alonia	An area north of the village, near the cemetery, associated with the old threshing floors and rural life.
Upper Vrysi	A fountain and a cistern within the village. These were among the main water sources and daily gathering places in the old village.
Upper Neighborhood	The neighborhood at the highest point of the village.
Arapis Seli	A place name southeast of the village, on the border with Vryses. The origin of the name is linked to local interpretations and traditions.
Arafarolith	A hill in the communal pasture. The name is related to “aroliths,” natural hollows in rocks where rainwater collects.
Arkalotrypa	A hillside south of the village, with a rock formation featuring holes and cave-like cavities. The name is associated with the “arkalo,” meaning the badger.
Arkolakia	A place name southeast of the village, near the border with Vryses. Etymologically, it is related to the word for “bear.”.
The Majestic Olive Tree	A place name that preserves the memory of an old, large olive tree or a property of special local significance.
Mansion	An area to the west and near the village, where, according to tradition, old mansions or the residences of powerful families once stood.
Lord Christ	The Transfiguration of the Savior, in the center of the village. It is the parish church and is associated with the major festival of Voulismeni.
Achlada	A place name found in the communal pasture, most likely of botanical origin.
Valde	A clearing north of the village, in the valley. The exact origin of the name is uncertain.
Vigli	An area with gardens and trees on the slope of Kavalaras. It is associated with Panagia Vigliotissa, the spring, the view, and ancient traces of settlement.
Vichalo	A pasture north of the village, at the point where two streams converge. The name is related to the word “dichala” or “vichala,” meaning “forked.”.
Vorno	A slope southwest of the village, facing the north wind. It is the opposite of Notikos.
Voulaka	A low-lying area on the plain northwest of the village, toward Latsida. The name is related to the verb “voulō” or “vouliázō.”.
Voulismeni	The name of the village. The most likely explanation links it to “voulimas,” meaning subsidence or sinking of the ground.
Thunder	A hillside west of the village with olive trees. The name remains as a place name, though its meaning is uncertain.
Gadineni	Gardens and fields northeast of the village, in a flat area. The origin of the name is unclear.
Gazoti	A stretch of land north of the village, at the edge of the valley, with fields suitable for cultivation.
Ganoni	A hillside south of the village with olive groves and terraces.
Geraniums	A flat area north of the village.
Gerapetriti	A neighborhood within the village. The name is associated with an earlier human settlement from Ierapetra.
Old Priest	A hillside south of the village with olive trees, part of an estate that belonged to a former priest.
Yata Ali	An orchard north of the village. The name refers to an Ottoman estate or a person from the Ottoman period.
Tank	A more recent place name on the slope of Kavalaras, southeast of the village.
Kavalara	The mountain range south of Voulismeni. It serves as a key natural boundary and landmark for the village.
Kavousi	A place name east of the village, on the slope leading toward Vigli. The word means “well” or “small spring.”.
Bad Stairs	A place name in the communal pasture, derived from a difficult or rugged pass.
Bad Daphne	A spot at the exit of the road leading to Neapolis, featuring a small bridge and laurel trees. It is linked to old local legends.
Artistic Creations	A hillside north of the village. The name comes from the verb “kallourgizo,” which means to plow a field without sowing seeds in order to make it more fertile.
Papadakis's Hut	A clearing north of the village, along the Pera Road. It is connected to an old country-style café and serves as a resting spot for cart drivers and passersby.
Arch	A low-lying area with gardens and orchards, featuring a stone arch or bridge over a stream.
Kamaroli	A small crossroads north of the village, by a small arch or footbridge.
Chimney	An area northwest of the village with olive groves. The name comes from a large chimney that used to stand there.
Plain	A general place name for the valley and the agricultural area around Voulismeni.
Kantinias the Fountain	A spring south of the village, on the slope of Kavalaras.
Kardamoutsa	A place name north of the village, in the middle of the valley.
Katseli	A stream that runs through the village. It is also known as Skidi.
Kato Vrysi	The village's central fountain and a key part of daily life in the past.
Kato Pigadi	A community well east of the village, in a ravine.
Kato Potamos	A stream that collects water from Pano Merambelo and flows into the sea near Milatos.
Threads	An orchard north of the village, next to Pera Dromos. The name is associated with an old spinning machine.
Kokoli	A place name to the west, on the outskirts of the village near Agia Aikaterini. It is a diminutive form of Nikolaos.
Feces	An area south of the village where shepherds used to let their animals graze.
Kounisogianni	A place name on the hillside toward Vigli, associated with an old hermit or solitary inhabitant of the area.
Kouroupoto	A hill in the Holy Cross mountain range, north of the village.
Cylinders	A hillside southeast of the village, in the Vigliou area.
Kolokouri	A place name northwest of the village, derived from a family name.
Konstantaki	A place name east of the village, along the old dirt road to Vigli.
Lakkopithri	A depression north of the village, at the foot of the Holy Cross mountain range, shaped like a jar.
Lakkotrodi	Liofyta, west of and near the village. The origin of the second part of the name remains uncertain.
Lempidi	An area with olive groves south of the village, on the slope of Kavalaras, between Plaka and Agios Konstantinos.
Loubouni	A place name east-southeast of the village, near Agios Konstantinos.
Shops	The village's main street, where there used to be cafes and shops. A place of daily activity and gathering.
Makry Lakko	A figurative place name southwest of the village, on the community pasture.
Maragou	Olive groves west of the village, near the Archontiko. Possible connection to a profession or a former owner.
Marmara to Lakko	A place name north of the village, associated with a pit and possibly linked to a rock formation or a former owner.
Great Selena	A place name southwest of the village, in the wider mountainous region.
Greater Notiko	A hillside north of the village, in the Holy Cross mountain range, facing south.
Mesochiri	A place name southwest of the village, on the border between the cultivated area and the Madara of Kavalaras.
Metaxari, Kavousi	An area southwest of the village, on the slope of Kavalaras, with olive trees, small gardens, and a small kavousi, that is, a spring.
Monoprino	A hill in the Holy Cross mountain range, north of the village. The name comes from a large, solitary holm oak tree.
Moukata Latsidas	Demarcation of the communal pasture southeast of the village, toward the Latsida area.
Moula in Sohora	A fertile field to the northeast and near the village, past Kaki Dafni. The name is associated with Mula Ali.
Moulaili, Harakia	A place name associated with large fields and a former property of Mula Ali.
Babasomuston	A place name north of the village, between the road and the hill of Agios Nikolaos.
Bamboura	A hillside north of the village. The name is associated with a low, hilly elevation in the terrain.
Bambouri	A place name north of the village, next to the new national highway. A diminutive of Bamboura.
Bentevi	A place name northeast of the village. It is also known as Pentevi and is associated with a family name.
Bouzana	A cistern south of the village, on the hillside leading toward Vigli. Its water remained cool thanks to the shade provided by the laurel trees.
Nikolakia	A settlement or hamlet of Voulismeni near Xerolimni, north of the village, in the Holy Cross mountain range.
Southern	A hillside west of the village, with trees and facing south. Opposite Vornos.
Davenez	A place name northeast of the village, between the cemetery and the ravine. It is also known as Tavenesa.
Disgini at Sterna	A cistern south of the village, whose name is linked to a family nickname.
Xerolimni	A rural settlement or hamlet of Voulismeni, north of the village, situated on a ridge of the Holy Cross mountain range.
Our Lady	A single-aisled church located roughly in the center of the village, mentioned in old ecclesiastical records.
Panagia Vigliotissa	A church south of the village, at the site of Vigli. One of the region’s most important Byzantine monuments.
Papadaki	A place name north of the village, on the Pera Road. It is also known as Kalyva.
Papadianos	A pasture north of the village. It is also known as Papadiana.
Papapetraki	Orchards east-southeast of the village, named after a family name.
Papa of Aloni	A place name associated with an old threshing floor and ecclesiastical or family history.
Papa of Latsida	A place name east of the village, in an area with a "latsida," that is, a chasm or sinkhole.
Paspara	A hillside east of the village. The name is associated with a grayish rock that crumbles easily.
Pattelles	A downhill slope south of the village. The word “patella” refers to a flat, open area.
Beyond the Road	The old dirt road that came from Neapoli ran through the valley and led to Heraklion.
Pera Mera	A common place name north of the village. It refers to the slope of Timios Stavros opposite Voulismeni.
Pervolia	An area southeast of the village, toward Vigli, with cultivated land.
Petrokaliva	A place name southwest of the village, in the municipal area.
Source	A small place name south of the village, on a wooded hillside, near a small spring.
Pita	A stretch of land east of the village, with vineyards and trees. The name is associated with the shape of the terrain.
Joke	A place name southwest of the village, referring to the flat summit of a large rock at a crossroads of farm roads.
Platanus	A place name northwest of the village, near the old road to Heraklion, named after a large plane tree and an old inn.
Platea	A small plateau at the northern edge of the village, near a crossroads. It was later connected to the Kato Vrysi area.
Provia in Aloni	A field east of the village, with trees and grapevines, where a threshing floor once stood that was connected to Provia.
Root	A wide area south of the village, including the cultivated slopes of Kavalaras.
Peach Trees	A place name southwest of the village, in the community pasture, derived from a plant name.
Rousa Vrysi	A spring south of the village, on the slope of Kavalaras. The name is associated with the red soil and the water.
Rousaki and Mouratolia	A place name on the outskirts of the village, next to Agia Aikaterini, named after its owner and a large olive tree of the Mouratolia variety.
Selada	Liofyta, southwest of the village. The name is associated with a curve or contour of the terrain.
Selia	A place name southwest of the village, on the community pasture.
Seli Kalou Lakkou	A ridge southwest of the village, on the community pasture. “Lakkoi” refers to small, fertile clearings among mountainous areas.
Stairs	A rural cobblestone road north of the village toward Xerolimni, winding and uphill.
Skidi	A small stream or torrent that collects water from the Vigli and Agios Konstantinos areas. It is also known as Katseli.
Split	A place name southwest of the village, on the community pasture, derived from a natural crevice.
School	The building and the surrounding area of the Voulismeni Elementary School, on the northeastern edge of the village.
Skoulikari	A small rural settlement or hamlet north of the village, near Nikolakia, named after a family name.
Sopata	A flat stretch of land north of the village, toward Xerolimni.
Skewer Knife	A pointed rock on the slope of Timios Stavros, northeast of the village.
Soumani on the Terrace	A small plot of land in the village, next to the churches of Panagia and Agia Irini, named after a former Turkish resident.
Soufi of the Shadows	An orchard to the west and near the village, with fruit-bearing fig trees. The name comes from Yusuf.
Spilara	A small natural cave with a large opening, north of the village, on the slope of Timios Stavros.
Turbulence	A round hill north of the village, near Xerolimni. The name comes from its round shape.
Symmeou the Olive Tree	A clearing north of the village, with various trees. It features a large olive tree and was once owned by a man named Symeon.
Mukata Border	A boundary marker southwest of the village, on the communal pasture, related to Moukata Latsidas.
Trakosari t’ Aloni	A place name northeast of the village, derived from a threshing floor and its owner, who went by the nickname Trakosaris.
Trullinou	A place name east of the village, also known as Xerizoma or Halili, with historical references to a field and olive trees.
Rails	A hillside with olive trees southwest of the village, between Plaka and Ai-Giorgios, in the Harakia area.
Tsakomanoli in Sterna	A wooded hillside south of the village, near a cistern belonging to a certain Tsakomanolis. It is also known as Filiáno.
Tsitsirgia	A place name north of the village, also known as Symeou tin Elia. It is associated with “tsitsiri,” the colloquial name for a wild shrub.
Tsourla	A place name south of the village, probably derived from the word “tsourlo,” meaning “to slip” or “to roll down.”.
Farolio	Orchards northwest of the village. Possible connection to a Venetian linguistic remnant.
Filianó	An area south of the village, on the slope leading toward Vigli, with grapevines and olive trees growing on terraces. It is also known as Tsakomanoli ti Sterna.
Filias to Lakko	A place name north of the village, in the Holy Cross mountain range, probably derived from a woman's name.
Flahtou of Lakkou	A place name south of the village, a little higher up than Panagia Vigliotissa, named after a former owner named Fylachtos.
Fountana	A place name associated with a spring. The word is derived from the Venetian term "fontana.".
Frama	A place name north of the village, on the hillside in the area.
I'm stuck	An area associated with the Monastery of Saint Anthony of the Monks. The name is related to the monks.
Halili	A place name also known as Xerizoma or Troullinou, named after a former Turkish resident.
Hani	The area around an old khan, that is, an inn for travelers. It is also known as Platanos or Hatzaki to Khan.
Charitou's Head	A hill north of the village, with many rocks and little pastureland, near the Haritos baptismal site.
Hatzaki the Hani	A place name derived from the surname of the inn's former owner in the early 20th century.
Hatzogianninas	A large estate north of the village, near the hill of Agios Nikolaos, with a house and a cistern.
Chouliano	A pasture north of the village, on the slope leading toward Xerolimni. One of the strangest place names in the record.
Psarogaro	A place name northeast of the village, derived from the old name or surname Psarogaros.

Source: Manolis Ant. Papadogiannis, The Voulismeni of Merambelo, Crete, in Space and Time, a section on the place names of Voulismeni.