Lixouri is the second largest city of Kefalonia, just as old as Argostoli, as it was first mentioned in an official document in 1534. The locals call it “Piccolo Parigi”, that means Small Paris, due to the torrent called Helopotamos, which crosses it as the Seine crosses Paris, but also its intense cultural and intellectual activity.

The National Resistance Square or Lixouri Central Square was formerly called Stamos Petritsis Square or Winter Square as it was protected by surrounding buildings. It was separated from the adjacent Ilias Miniatis Square or Summer Square with the imposing Markatos building, one of the finest buildings built during the British domination.

Markato was a two-storey building. The ground floor where shops were housed was surrounded by 20 Doric columns alongside and 8 across, while the floor housed by the Town Hall had a very spacious balcony. Markato also housed the first court that operated in Kefalonia and Lagastrian School. This building, which was the gem of Lixouri, resisted the earthquakes of 1867 but collapsed with the earthquakes of 1953. The new Markato, which was inaugurated in 2004, is a three-storey building and includes a theater room, a lecture hall and auxiliary rooms, and shops on the ground floor.

Today, Lixouri Square, as well as the adjoining pedestrianized narrow streets and the coastal boulevard, are bustling with life, especially during the summer. The visitor can sit in one of the many cafes and restaurants, enjoy some of the famous desserts, listen to the Lixouri Philharmonic in one of its parades while gazing at the statue of Andreas Laskaratos on the quay, or simply sit for to rest under the fig-tree that was planted in 1976, but liked the spot, became giant and now dominates the center of it!