Neapolis: Museums, History and Architecture

Neapolis offers travellers several ways to explore its cultural history: an archaeological collection, folklore and history exhibits, an old school with a distinctive architectural design, and a metropolitan church on the central square. To the east of the town, Driros adds an ancient city on the hilltop of Agios Antonios. This raises a practical question as you plan your trip: would you like to focus on cultural sites in Neapolis, or include the ancient history of Driros as well?

Museums and Architectural History

The Archaeological Collection in Neapolis is housed in a renovated and specially designed space in the former orphanage. The site thus brings together archaeological exhibits and the building’s former use as an orphanage. A folklore museum run by the Apano Merambelo Cultural and Folklore Society is located on the first floor of a remarkable building. Archaeology and folklore offer different thematic emphases and open up different perspectives on the cultural history of Neapolis.

The Folklore and Historical Museum is housed in the Old Secondary School, a building constructed in 1870 and designated a historic monument. Its architecture is defined by specific features: it is a single-storey stone building with a wooden roof and ceramic tiles. Its Π-shaped floor plan encloses a courtyard. The Greek letter Π helps you picture the layout: the building runs around the courtyard. The form and materials give the museum building its own architectural dimension; here, history is encountered not only as a subject, but also in the form of the Old Secondary School.

History from Different Perspectives

The modern history tour at the Folklore and Historical Museum is divided into three sections: the Ottoman period and Pasha Kostis Adosidis; the Cretan State and the Therissos Revolt; and the Second World War, the occupation and the resistance. This sequence presents political developments, revolt and the experience of war as distinct themes. The sections offer concrete starting points for conversations with children: a historical figure, a political upheaval, or a period of war and resistance.

Church, Monastery and Ancient City

The Megali Panagia Metropolitan Church stands at the northern end of Neapolis’s central square. The square is an easy reference point for anyone interested in the town centre and its historic buildings. The Franciscan monastery of Fraro is also in Neapolis. Petros Filargis lived there as a monk; he later became Pope Alexander V. This link leads from a specific place in Neapolis to a later ecclesiastical career, adding a biographical perspective to the history of the museums and buildings.

Driros lies east of the town, on the hilltop of Agios Antonios. The ancient city is considered one of the most significant in Crete. Driros therefore differs from the museums and historic buildings in Neapolis: here, the focus is on an ancient city on a hilltop. Anyone interested in archaeology can compare this perspective with the collection in Neapolis.

Choose a Holiday Rental Based on Your Cultural Interests

When looking for a holiday rental, you can use these themes as a starting point: would you like to include the museums, the Old Secondary School, the church on the central square and Fraro in your travel plans? Or would you also like to visit Driros east of the town? This helps you choose a destination based on the subjects that interest you most—from architecture and folklore to the ancient history of Crete.

Discover more destinations: Koutsounara, Anatoli, Kritsa, Tzermiado, Makris Gialos, Kimouriotis, Achlia, Vrouchas.

For the broader travel overview: Lasithi.