Argyroupoli, or also known as Ancient Lappa.

Written by: Irini Lefkoritissa
February ’17

Argyroupoli can be translated as Silver Town and though nowadays it is a rather small village, it used to be of quite some importance in the Hellenistic, Roman, Early Christian and Venetian Periods.

In the first two centuries BC it was one of the many cities on Crete that were frequently fighting, supporting one another and breaking bonds and alliances with each other continuously. The city got destroyed in 68 AD by a general called Metellus, only to be rebuilt soon after and at the end of the Roman era it gained importance and even minted its own silver coins. During the Greco-Roman period the city was called Lappa, this name can still be found in the name of the larger municipality which unites several villages in the area.

During the Early Christian period the first bishop of Crete, Titus, founded a diocese of which the name of the neighbouring village Episkopi (meaning literally diocese in Greek) is still a reminder. Throughout the Early Christian and first Byzantine period Lappa played a significant role in the area. During the Arab conquest (824-961) both the town and diocese were destroyed but in the second Byzantine period and the Venetian occupation (1204-1645) the city recovered and changed names several times. The Turks or Ottomans who occupied Crete from 1645-1898 named it Gaidouroupoli, meaning Donkey Town. In 1822, during a rebellion that took place in the whole of Greece, the freedom fighters named it Argyroupoli and until the liberation in 1898 it was often the setting of meetings and activities to support the resistance against the Ottoman rulers.

Nowadays Argyroupoli consists of three main neighbourhoods of which the highest one is identified with the centre of ancient Lappa. On the large square near the church you can find a small excavation and a big church. At the opposite of this square you can see a stone arch underneath which a small road leads into the village. If you follow this road you can start walking a short round that takes you along some nice shops, Venetian houses, a Roman Gate, some churches and at the end a Roman mosaic floor. You will arrive at a small church on your right which you can visit by opening the gate (please close upon leaving otherwise the local sheep will pay a visit as well!!). Instead of continuing straight down towards a pillar decorated in Ionian style you turn left and from there on there is only one way. You will pass stone houses on either side and have some wonderful views on the surrounding valleys. After the Roman mosaic a flight of stairs takes you back down to the arch where you started from. At the bottom of the stairs you will find an assembly of small shops, a bakery, two Kafeneions (‘coffee houses’) and right under the arch there is a shop which sells local olive oil and skin and hair care products made from the oil of locally grown avocados.

If you like history, a short stroll and taking pictures of traditional stone houses and forgotten little corners, this is the right place for you!