Name

The ancient Itia or Etea^[3] (Greek: Ἠτεία, Ēteía) appears to correspond roughly to modern Sitia. The name Siteia itself is probably the result of rebracketing of se (σε, "at") and Ēteía.^[4][5]

Ancient Sitia

Sitia was founded by Minoans as Itia,^{[dubious – discuss]} and was a place of refuge for native Cretans after the fall of the major Minoan settlements.^{[citation needed]} The city continued to prosper through the Classical, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods as one of the island's chief ports.

Venetian Era

The town was later expanded and fortified by the Venetians after their acquisition of Crete in 1204, who used it as a base of operations for the Eastern Mediterranean. During the Venetian occupation, the town was destroyed three times: first by an earthquake in 1508, then by the Turkish pirate Hayreddin Barbarossa in 1538, and finally by the Venetians themselves in 1651. This final destruction took place in the context of the Cretan War (1645–1669) in which the Venetians battled to retain their hold on the island against the Ottoman Empire. While Sitia did not fall in the initial Turkish advance the Venetians did not have the resources to withstand a long siege, and accordingly destroyed the fortifications and removed the garrison to Heraklion. The local inhabitants meanwhile removed westwards to Liopetro and the site was subsequently abandoned for the next 200 years of Turkish rule.

The main remnant of the Venetian occupation is the Kazarma (from Italian casa di arma), the old fortress overlooking the harbour.

Modern Era

After the Venetian period and subsequent abandonment the town was rebuilt until 1870 by the progressive Turkish governor Hüseyin Avni Pasha following the Cretan Revolt. It was subsequently created capital of the Sanjak of Lasit (later Lasithi, which it remains to this day). Under Turkish rule the town was renamed Avniye^{[clarification needed]} after its rebuilder, but as the local Greeks continued to use the traditional name of Sitia this innovation did not survive independence. Despite the turbulent history of Crete in leaving the Ottoman Empire and joining Greece, as well as the First World War, the population almost quadrupled between 1881 (570 inhabitants) and 1928 (2,100 inhabitants). Major public works were carried out by the Greek government in 1911 to modernise the town, in the course of which much of the Ottoman era town was rebuilt, as well as a fresh water supply.

Municipality

The municipality Sitia was formed at the 2010 local government reform by the merger of the three former municipalities Itanos, Lefki and Sitia, which became municipal units.^[6] In November 2011 Sitia incorporated the four communities Chrysopigi, Lithines, Perivolakia and Pefkoi, which had previously been part of the municipality Ierapetra.^[7] In 2014 these communities were grouped into the new municipal unit Analipsi.^[8]

The municipality Sitia consists of the following municipal units and communities:

• Analipsi (Chrysopigi, Lithines, Pefkoi, Perivolakia)
• Itanos (Karydi, Palaikastro, Zakros)
• Lefki (Agia Triada, Apidia, Armenoi, Chandras, Pappagiannades, Ziros)
• Sitia (Achladia, Agios Georgios, Chamezi, Exo Mouliana, Katsidoni, Krya, Lastros, Maronia, Mesa Mouliana, Myrsini, Piskokefalo, Praisos, Roussa Ekklisia, Sitia, Sfaka, Skopi, Stavromenos, Tourloti)

The municipality has an area of 627 km² (242 sq mi), the municipal unit 277 km² (107 sq mi).^[9]

Province

Sitia Province or Eparchy (Επαρχία Σητείας, Eparkhía Siteías) was one of the provinces of Lasithi. Its territory corresponded with that of the current municipality Sitia and the municipal unit Makry Gialos.^[10] It was abolished in 2006.

Environmentally protected areas

There are a number of sites in the municipality of Sitia that are protected as National Parks, Aesthetic Forests, Wildlife Refuges etc. under national and international laws. Sitia is home to the Sitia UNESCO Global Geopark. Notable examples are:

• Dionysades Islands which carry many rare and endangered plant species and also serve as a refuge of several animal species (mostly birds and small reptiles), including the falcon, Falco eleonorae, which finds sanctuary here.
• Vai Palm Forest.
• Richtis Gorge and waterfall.^[11]

Climate

Sitia has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa) with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.

Health services

Sitia General Hospital was founded in 1947 as a local health center and was later (1994) relocated to a new 7500m² (110-bed capacity) building and accordingly upgraded to serve as the main hospital for the municipality of Sitia and the surrounding area.^[16]

Attractions

• Moni Toplou, founded in the mid 15th century, is one of the most significant monasteries in Crete.
• Kazarma fortress, in the town of Sitia.
• Gorge of the Dead (at Kato Zakros).
• Archaeological Museum of Sitia.
• Folkor^{[clarification needed]} Museum of Sitia.
• Various archeological sites with Minoan civilization settlements from the Bronze Age, such as in Itanos and Mochlos.

Notable people

• Yannis Hamilakis - archaeologist
• Myson - philosopher (one of the 7 legendary wise men of ancient Greece)
• Vitsentzos Kornaros - poet (composer of Erotokritos)
• Giorgos Mazonakis - singer
• Jenny Hiloudaki - DJ
• Manousos - Musician (bassist of Psofioi Korioi Band)