Lourantianika

The story of a single family is intertwined with the history of this settlement: The Lourantos family. The few inhabitants of the village were always from the same family, which gave its name to the settlement. The vicars of Agios Georgios, the church of the village, always came from this family following the will of its founder. The surname Lourantos comes from a baptismal name of Italian origin (Lorando or Leonardi), as was often the custom during Venetian rule. It is traced from the 14th century in Crete and from there to Kythera in the 15th century, mainly in the wider area of Livadi. Nevertheless, the oldest name of this settlement is Kato Chorio. It is possible that the settlement developed, during the same period, or shortly after the establishment of the church at the end of the 16th century. After a period of desolation, Lourantianika saw again the settling of a few inhabitants in recent years. It is one of the very small and less known settlements of Kythera, which goes unnoticed because it is hidden from the main road connecting Kato Livadi with Kalamos. Lourantianika also belongs to the abandoned village of Kontarati, which is located higher up nearby.