map of Crete Anopolis is a small traditional village in the south of Crete. It can be reached over a curvy (but good) road with many hairpins that starts in the village of Chora Sfakion. Today Anopolis is a small and rustic village where most of the inhabitants make their living from sheep, goats and olive trees. A couple of people now also rent rooms. This used to be quite different in the Greco-Roman times when Anopolis was a city-state and had its own port at the present coastal village of Loutro. In these days some 60.000 people lived in the city-state. Like many of the villages in the south Anopolis has been a place for resistance against foreign occupants and the village has been burnt completely for their resistance on two occasions: the first time in 1365 by the Venetians and the second time in 1867 by the Turks. Famous is Yiannis Daskaloyiannis (know as "John the Teacher") who was a wealthy ship owner. It is said that he has met with representatives of Catherine the Great who promised him help if Crete would rebel against the Turkish Ottomans. Daskaloyiannis organised the first large rebellion against the Turks in 1770, but surrendered when the Russian help failed to arrive. In March the next year Daskalyiannis was flayed alive by the Turks.

Now the men of the village gather on the village square taverna for a cup of coffee and a talk. It really seems like nothing has ever happened here and nothing ever will. Only the statue of Daskaloyiannis on the village square reminds you of the tragedies that took place here. The little bit of life in the village comes mainly from people that want to visit the nearby Aradena Gorge and its famous church in a deserted village. Not much of ancient Anopolis can be seen any more although there are some remains of cyclopean walls near the Agia Aikaterini Church. The roads become quiet and remarkably there are quite a number of cyclists in the area even though the roads can be quite curvy and difficult to climb at certain points. Going downhill is one thing but up the hill is something else... I think the village and the area are trying to promote themselves as cyclist area.