The village of Kavrochori, one of the oldest in Crete, is built at an altitude of 60 metres and has about 500 permanent residents. Kavrochori is just 2 km from Gazi and 10 km from Heraklion. When the village was first founded, it was called Gavalochori because they said that the first inhabitant of the village was called Gavalas. Then, after 50 years, it was renamed Kavrochori due to the crabs ("kavroi" in the Cretan dialect), which existed on the nearby river Gazanos. Others claim that the name comes from the first inhabitant of the village called Kavros.
In 1577, the village was mentioned by Francesco Barozzi as Cavroghori, while in 1583, in the Kastrofylakas census, it was mentioned as Cavrocori. Also, in the Turkish census of 1671, it was referred to as Kavlahori, with 15 charatsia (Turkish fines to the Greeks).
The river Kares, which joins the river Gazanos and flows into the bay of Heraklion, passes on the west of the village. Southwest of Kavrochori, on the hill of Marathokefala, a residential installation with pottery has been located that dates back to the Late Minoan III, the Geometric, the Hellenistic and the Roman period. Particularly noteworthy is a Protogeometric male figurine.
Finally, in Kavrochori is the most important monument in the area of Gazi. It is the Minoan household sanctuary on the hill Bairia, where five figurines of deities with raised hands were found. The goddesses date to the Late Minoan III B or C period.
