Anopoli, Sfakia

Anopoli is a village and the seat of its corresponding community in the Sfakia municipality of the Chania regional unit in Crete, Greece. It is the second-largest settlement in the municipality, with a population of 242 according to the 2011 census.

Geography

Anopoli is built at an elevation of 600 meters on a fertile plateau measuring 3 by 1.5 kilometers, situated in the southern part of the White Mountains. The plateau is covered with olive groves and pastures. The village comprises ten scattered hamlets: Kambos, Gyros, Ases, Rizes Kampia, Marana, Skala, Pavliana, Limnia, Agios Dimitrios, and Vardiana. Loutro serves as the coastal port for Anopoli. The village is approximately 12 kilometers from Chora Sfakion, connected by a winding road that continues towards Aradena and Agios Ioannis.

History

In ancient times, the site of the village was occupied by the ancient city of Anopoli. Its coastal counterpart, Kato Poli (Lower City), was the city of Phoenix, located in the Loutro area and serving as Anopoli’s port. The ancient city was situated on the hill of Agia Aikaterini, south-southwest of the present-day settlement, overlooking the Libyan Sea. It was an independent city that minted its own coins. These coins featured a beardless head, possibly Apollo, on one side and the letters AN in a cluster and Ω on the other, with some variations existing. It is mentioned that in the 3rd century BC, Anopoli was conquered by the neighboring city of Aradena but was later liberated by Charmadas. It is believed that the first fortification wall was built during this period. Scholar Robert Pashley noted the presence of a Pelasgian wall, 300 paces long, 6 feet thick, and 5-11 feet high, in the Riza area. Anopoli was one of the 30 Cretan cities that formed an alliance with Eumenes II in 183 BC.

The city flourished during the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods. Remains of the city’s water supply cisterns are still visible today. According to an 1182 document concerning the distribution of Crete after its recapture by the Byzantines, Anopoli became a fief of the Skordilis family. During the Venetian period, the Anopoli plateau, like other plateaus in Crete such as Lasithi, Askyfou, and Kallikratis, served as a base and refuge for rebels. During the Kallergis revolt in 1364-1365, Anopoli was the rebels’ last stronghold. After defeating them, the Venetians destroyed Anopoli, leaving it deserted. The village was later repopulated and experienced a period of relative prosperity at the beginning of the Ottoman occupation, thanks to its maritime activities. Ships were built using timber from the surrounding mountains. Francesco Barozzi mentions Anopoli in 1577, but it is not listed in Kastrofylakas’s 1583 census.

Anopoli’s prosperity lasted until the Daskalogiannis revolt in 1770. Daskalogiannis, a shipowner from Anopoli, was inspired to rebel against the Ottomans during the Orlov Revolt. The revolt failed due to the lack of Russian support, and Anopoli was destroyed, with Daskalogiannis’ luxurious house being burned down. The ruins of his house and other buildings can still be seen in the Kambos neighborhood. Before the 1821 revolution, Anopoli had 300 families and 1,345 inhabitants, but only half remained after the revolution (696). In the 1834 Egyptian census, Anopoli had 115 Christian families. The village was also destroyed during the 1866 revolt by Omer Pasha.

In 1881, Anopoli was designated the seat of the Anopoli municipality, with 756 Christian inhabitants. In 1920, it became the seat of its namesake community.

The present-day settlement of Anopoli occupies the same location as the ancient Cretan city-state of Anopoli and consists of several smaller hamlets, each with its own distinct name and a church surrounded by a cemetery.

Village Key Points

• Historical References: Ancient city of Anopoli, mentioned in various historical records
• Location: Sfakia municipality, Chania regional unit, Crete, Greece
• Dimensions: Village spread across a 3 by 1.5 kilometer plateau
• Historical Significance: Ancient city-state, center of revolts against Venetian and Ottoman rule
• Population data over the years:

• Current Status: Village and seat of the Anopoli community, with a focus on agriculture and tourism