Agios Konstantinos, Lasithi plateau

Agios Konstantinos is a village in the Lasithi regional unit on the island of Crete, Greece. It is located on the Lasithi Plateau at an altitude of 860 meters, 42 kilometers from Agios Nikolaos. The village has a population of 79 residents (2021 census).

History

• Venetian and Ottoman Periods:
  • 1364: The Venetians destroyed the villages on the Lasithi Plateau and prohibited habitation due to frequent uprisings.
  • 1465: The Venetians allowed the cultivation of cereals, leading to the establishment of temporary settlements (“metochia”), which later became permanent.
  • 1630: The census by Francesco Basilicata mentions Agios Konstantinos as “S. Constantin metochio” with 30 houses.
  • 1671: The Ottoman census records Agios Konstantinos together with Marmaketo as having 45 “haratsia” (tax-paying households).
  • 1823: During the Greek War of Independence, the Egyptian Hassan Pasha and his army massacred the inhabitants of Agios Konstantinos.
  • 1834: The Egyptian census records 30 Christian families living in Agios Konstantinos.
  • 1881: Agios Konstantinos was part of the municipality of Tzermiado with 380 Christian inhabitants.
  • 1925: It became the seat of its own community.
  • 1997: It was incorporated into the Municipality of Oropedio Lasithiou.

Landmarks

• Monastery of Kroustallenia: Located near the village on a small hill. It is not known when it was founded, but it housed a school until 1926.

Village Key Points

• Historical References:
  • 1630 census as “S. Constantin metochio” with 30 houses.
  • 1671 Ottoman census (recorded with Marmaketo).
• Location: Lasithi Plateau, Lasithi regional unit, Crete, Greece. 42 km from Agios Nikolaos.
• Altitude: 860 meters
• Historical Significance: Massacre during the Greek War of Independence.
• Population:

  Year	Population	Notes
  1630		30 houses (Basilicata census)
  1671		45 “haratsia” (tax-paying households) recorded with Marmaketo
  1834		30 Christian families
  1881	380
  1900	324
  1928	244
  1940	447
  1951	400
  1961	328
  1971	279
  1981	224
  1991	175
  2001	104
  2011	115	(includes Monastery of Kroustallenia)
  2021	79