Agia Sofia Cave at Topolia
The cave of Agia Sofia (Santa Sophia) is located 47km southwest of Chania, on the western walls of the gorge Topolia, near the main road to Elafonisi. On the left of the cave entrance, there is the small church dedicated to Hagia Sophia (Wisdom of God). The entrance of the cave has a width of 25m, while the height reaches 20m in many points, being relly huge. The cave has two rooms with different heights, the surface of which is full of stalagmites.
The cave was a very important place of worship in the ancient times. In the cave, a clay figurine dating from the 4th century BC has been found. Moreover, Neolithic, Early Minoan, Late Minoan, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman pottery traces have been found.
The cave of Agia Sofia is very important for speleobiologists because it hosts the spider Pholcus creticus. The species is stenoendemic, i.e. has been identified only in this cave.
