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18 FOCUS / LANDMARKS

CITY OF MYTH

> A series of charming
myths accompany the
origins of its name,
which either stems
from an aspect of the
goddess of the hunt,
Artemis, or a legendary
battle between the
Muses and Sirens,
which saw the latter
lose their wings and
plummet into the sea
in terrible defeat – thus
a-ptera [non-winged].

APTERA
A LOST CITY

REEMERGES

A largely unknown gem of Homeric-Era Crete, Aptera is a must-visit.

A FEW MONTHS AGO, an exhibition at which was said to have a hundred cities.
the Museum of Cycladic Culture in Ath- Built at a spot still revered for its outstand-
ens brought to the spotlight a trio of an- ing natural beauty, it had two sea ports
cient cities long forgotten in the public and extensive fields, thanks to which it
consciousness. All found in Crete, these saw great development and amassed sig-
settlements completed their life circles mil- nificant wealth.
lennia ago, progressing from their estab- In the 4th century BC, Aptera was the
lishment and development to abandon- most affluent city on Crete, boasting close
ment and rediscovery. diplomatic and commercial ties with Egypt,
With its memory brought back by recent Libya and prominent kingdoms found in
excavations and research, the lost city of modern-day Greece, Asia Minor and the
Aptera is less than 20 minutes from Cha- Adriatic. A series of earthquakes, with the
nia. Back in the Homeric Age, circa 1100 last one occurring in 364 AD, marked
BC, it was one of the three capitals of Crete, the city’s decline and eventual desertion.
Yet, today, Aptera attracts attention once
again as an intriguing archeological site
– the ghost of a city where great warriors
roamed, goldsmiths and silversmiths cre- Top and left:
Still standing
ated objects of immense beauty, and the after over three
millenia, the
Olympians were worshipped. The two amphitheater
fascinating Ottoman forts located in close of Aptera is
surrounded by
proximity are also worth a visit. verdant nature.
D

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