Liopetro Fort

The fortress of Liopetra (from Leon di Pietra) is located 14km west from Sitia and 66 east from Agios Nikolaos. It was built at the beginning of the 17th century AD, and belongs to the Hamezi village area. In 579 the Venetian Proveditor Giacomo Foscarini had proposed to the Senate that such a fort should be built to shelter the inhabitants of Sitia in the event of war against the Turks.

The matter was brought up again by both Petros Zanos and Scotti in 1590 and 1595 respectively; so at the beginning of the 17th century the Senate gave orders for the building of this large fortress which could shelter as many as 6000 people.

There are indications that the fort was erected over the foundations of an ancient castle, the cistern of which remains still.