Kato Metochi consists of buildings that were created after the 15th century. Then, Venice decided to cultivate the plain of Lasithi again after its mandatory desolation for 200 years. The tenant-farmers from the surrounding provinces built makeshift settlements for their seasonal accommodation during the sowing and harvesting season and for this reason they were mentioned in the census of Castrofilaca as metochia, with the Cretan name, and not as villages (casali).

Geography

Only this settlement has preserved the name “metochi” and it is called Kato because it is located at the lowest point of the Plateau.

Name and Historical Data

Another name of the village which was preserved until 1881 is Gaidouromantra. This is what the historical Castrofilaca listed in his census. One hypothesis for this name is that it was a station for pack-animals (mules, donkeys) to rest, in order to start the other part of their march towards Kasteli of Pediada, where the big granaries were located during the period of the Venetian rule.

In the census of Castrofilaca (K 104) it was mentioned as Mettocchio Gaidaromandra in 1583 with 89 inhabitants. At that time, it was one of the largest settlements of the Plateau. The historian Basilicata also mentioned it as Metochio Gaiduromandra with 15 houses (Monuments of Cret. Hist. V, p.29). It was also mentioned under the name Gaiduri Mandra in the Turkish census of 1671 with 20 families (N. Stavrinidis, Translations, B’, p. 136).

In the Egyptian census of 1834 it was listed as Gaidhuromandra and Gerontomuri with 30 Christian families (Pashley, Travels in Crete, II, 321). In 1842, Chourmouzis Byzantios (Kritika 49) referred to it as Kato Metochi.

Population trend according to the censuses:

Census	Population
1881	146
1900	148
1920	167
1928	134
1940	251
1951	239
1961	190
1971	177
1981	130
1991	183
2001	154