The town of Sitia is widely believed to have taken its name from the ancient Hellenistic settlement of Itia, Itida or Sitea, hometown of Misona (one of the seven renowned ancient philosophers) and of Vitzenzos Kornaros, the poet who wrote Erotokritos. Others reject this theory and are still searching for the ancient town of Sitia wherever there are the ruins of Minoan settlements. It is certain however that the ruins of a Byzantine settlement can be found beneath present day Sitia. Among its buildings you will notice parts of the fortified wall and of the castle of Kazarma, which were built by the Venetians and were destroyed during the earthquakes of 1303 and 1508, as well as the bombardment of the town from the pirate Barbarossa, in 1538 and in 1651 by the Venetians so as not to fall in the hands of the Turks. For two centuries Sitia ceased to exist as a town, until 1869. The present city was built in 1870.