Mertidi

Originally a purely rural area, deserted during early Venetian rule due to pirate raids. The wider region was frequently mentioned as a place where pirate spoils were distributed and sold. The area began to develop after the discovery of the icon of the Virgin Mary and the construction of the first church dedicated to "The Finding" (Evresi). Three possible dates have been proposed for the Finding: 1160, 1446, or between 1300-1400. The 1446 date, from the lost founding inscription, is considered most probable. A recent dating of a wall painting in Agia Thamaturgos cave-chapel near the monastery places it in the 13th century, confirming human presence in the earliest years of Venetian rule. The new church and buildings were constructed in the mid-19th century. Myrtidia means "place of myrtle shrubs," from "myrtia."