In the mountainous region of Mylopotamos in Crete, numerous fortresses can be found. These include the Castle of Mylopotamos in the village of Panormos and Panokastri near Agios Mamas. Panokastri, also known as Pano Kasteli, is perched on a rocky outcrop above the village of Kastri. It was owned by the noble Alexios Kallergis and his family from 1341. The Kallergis family participated in the Apostasy of Saint Titus (1363-1366), a failed rebellion backed by Venetian feudal lords and Cretan leaders who sought to establish an independent democracy under the protection of Saint Titus, the island’s patron saint.

Following the collapse of the apostasy, the Kallergis family initiated a new revolution that rapidly gained momentum. It was during this time that they fortified their stronghold in Kastri by constructing the Apano Kasteli fortress. However, this uprising was also quashed, and the revolutionaries’ bases (Lassithi plateau, Eleftherna area, and Anopolis Plateau) were abandoned for a century. Subsequently, the Kallergis stronghold was given to Nicolao Delphyno, who later passed it on to Lac de Medio.

Presently, remnants of the fortress can still be seen, including traces of the wall on the hill’s southern side and the Panagia Panokastriani church, where the Kallergis family’s coat of arms is still visible.