A massive 10-meter-tall Cretan lyra, thought to be the largest ever built, has been unveiled in southern Crete as its creators pursue a Guinness World Records title, according to ekathimerini.com
The enormous version of the traditional three-stringed instrument was constructed over a six-month period in the village of Pitsidia, close to the well-known tourist area of Matala. On Monday, the lyra was installed alongside the main road so it could be easily seen by visitors passing through the area.
Project creator Michalis Zouridakis said the initiative aimed to honor and showcase Crete’s musical heritage.
“We want to show that we support tradition here in Crete,” he said.
According to Zouridakis, the team initially explored building the instrument from wood or iron before ultimately choosing polyester because it is lighter and more resilient.
An application has already been submitted to Guinness World Records, and the team is now waiting for an official representative to inspect the instrument and determine whether it qualifies as the world’s largest Cretan lyra.
Source: ekathimerini.com
