Agios Georgios & Christos (St. George & Christ) (Kournas)
The Church of St. George was built at the end of the 12th century, initially as a three-aisled basilica with a wooden roof, a narthex and adobe brick arches. In 1230 Christ’s roof-covered aisle was added. In the 19th century, the interior of the main church was unified and the narthex demolished, while a bell-tower was built.
The interior decoration was carried out in three phases: the initial murals dating back to the 12th century are frescoes and include full-bodied saints and scenes from the Gospels. The other two layers were painted in the 13th and 14th centuries. The church is of exceptional architectural value, because it reflects the development of mid-Byzantine architecture on Crete.
