Neapolis: Museums, History and Architecture

Discover Neapolis’s cultural heritage

Neapolis can be explored culturally from several angles: archaeology, folklore and more recent history sit alongside historic religious buildings. If you are looking for a hotel for a culture-focused stay, these themes can shape your choice of destination. The sites differ in their subject matter and architectural settings. An archaeological collection is housed in a former orphanage; the Folklore and History Museum is located in the Old Secondary School. Other sites include the Metropolitan Church of Megali Panagia and the Franciscan Monastery of Fraro in town, as well as the ancient city of Driros to the east.

Museums and architectural history

The Archaeological Collection of Neapoli is housed in a renovated space in the former orphanage that has been adapted for its purpose. Here, an archaeological focus meets a building that once served a social function. The Folklore and History Museum is housed in Neapoli’s Old Secondary School. The Old Secondary School is a single-storey stone building with a wooden roof and ceramic tiles. Its Π-shaped floor plan can be understood as three sides of a building enclosing a courtyard. Built in 1870, the building is designated a historic monument. The year refers to its construction, while the designation describes the building’s status. For a culture-focused visit, you can choose between the archaeological collection and the combination of museum, architectural form and historical context.

History in the museum

The modern history exhibition at the Folklore and History Museum is divided into three sections. The first covers the Ottoman period and Pasha Kostis Adosidis, the second the Cretan State and the Therissos revolt, and the third the Second World War, the occupation and the resistance. The sequence runs from the Ottoman period through the Cretan State to the Second World War. The Therissos revolt is placed in the middle section, making the three-part structure easy to follow chronologically.

Church, monastery and Driros

The Metropolitan Church of Megali Panagia stands at the north end of Neapoli’s central square. At the Franciscan Monastery of Fraro, a different story leads through a person: Petros Filargis served there as a monk and later became Pope Alexander V. Driros lies east of Neapoli, on the hill of Agios Antonios; the ancient city is considered one of the most important in Crete. The three connections are distinct: the church is associated with a specific spot in the town centre, Fraro with the later life of a pope, and Driros with an ancient city in the surrounding area.

Neapolis as a hotel-search destination

When looking for a hotel in Neapolis, you can factor the destination’s cultural focus into your decision: are you more interested in the archaeological collection, folklore and more recent history, or historic buildings? Before visiting a museum, check the current opening hours, and find out about access to Driros before you go.

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