About This Location

Mesa Apidi, a village in Lasithi, Crete, near Sitia, has a history dating back to at least 1925. Not mentioned in the 1583 census, it likely developed after the 16th century. The name derives from the pear tree, though none grow there today. The village became its own community in 1928. Now part of the Apidia community within the Sitia municipality, it comprises Mesa Apidi, Goudouras, Exo Apidi, and Kalos Lakkos. The semi-mountainous terrain is used for crops and pastures. Population data shows a decline from 179 residents in 1881 to around 20 in 2021.

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Mesa Apidi (Μέσα Απίδι) is a village in Lasithi, Crete, Greece. It is part of the municipality of Sitia. Mesa Apidi is located in the southern part of the island, northeast of Ormos Makrygialos, at an altitude of 580 meters. It is 4 kilometers from Armenoi and Ziros, and 25 kilometers from Sitia. The terrain is semi-mountainous and covered with crops and pastures.

History

The village is first mentioned in 1925, when it was annexed to the community of Armenoi. In 1928, it became the seat of its own community. According to the Kallikratis plan, Mesa Apidi, along with Goudouras, Exo Apidi and Kalos Lakkos, form the community of Apidia, which belongs to the municipal unit of Lefki and is part of the municipality of Sitia.

The village is believed to have been founded after the 16th century, as it is not mentioned in the 1583 census of Castrofilaca. The name of the village comes from the pear tree (apidia), although there are no pear trees in the village today.

Settlement: Key Points

  • Historical References: First mentioned in 1925.
  • Location: Southern Crete, northeast of Ormos Makrygialos.
  • Historical Significance: Traditional Cretan village with stone houses and narrow streets.
  • Population Data:
Year
Population
Notes
1583
1881
179
179 Christians, 0 Muslims, As Apidi and Kalos Lakkos
1900
132
1920
118
1928
150
1940
171
1951
154
1961
166
1971
102
1981
109
1991
63
2001
51
2011
36
2021
20
  • Current Status: Small village with a declining population.

References

Nearby Listings

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0.48 km SW

Exo Apidi, Siteia

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2.37 km SE

Agia Triada, Siteia

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2.81 km NE

Ziros, Siteia

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3.27 km NW

Armenoi, Siteia

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3.35 km NW

Chandras, Siteia

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3.47 km N

Voila abandoned village

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3.71 km E

Kalo Chorio, Siteia

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4.77 km NW

Etia, Sitia

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5.30 km SW

Goudouras, Siteia

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5.61 km W

Perivolakia, Siteia

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5.76 km E

Chamaitoulo, Siteia