| Asterousia Mountains | |
| Location: | Crete |
| Elevation M: | 1231 |
| Parent Peak: | Kofinas |
| Type: | Mountain range |
The Asterousia Mountains are a range in southern Crete separating the Messara Plain from the Libyan Sea.[1] Evidence of ancient Cretan cultures have been found in excavations performed within sites contained in this range; moreover, one of the most significant Minoan sites on Crete has been excavated at nearby Phaistos to the north; apparently, the Phaistos palace was designed to permit views over the expansive Messara Plain and the Asterousi Mountains.[2] A further historical name for this range is reported by Encyclopædia Britannica as the Kofinos Range, named after the highest peak of Asteroussia, Kofinas (1231 m).[3]