Places
Agiofaraggo of the Holy Monastery of Odegetria
The Agiofaraggo [Holy Gorge] is found within the boundaries, and belongs to, the Monastery of Odegetria. Within the surrounding area, which followed the apostolic tradition of the Church of the Gortynians, with the beneficial morphology of the land and a mild climate, the Agiofaraggo thrived as a place where Christian monasticism developed, particularly in its […]
Church of Agios Pavlos (St. Paul) (Kaloi Limenes)
According to tradition, when Saint Paul disembarked at Kaloi Limenes, he stayed in a small cave on a hill in the coast area of Kaloi Limenes before continuing on his journey to Rome. The small church of Agios Pavlos, built in 1911, is located on the peak of hill.
Panagia ton Angelon (Mother Mary of the Angels) (Fradio)
At the location of the presently-deserted village of Fradio, a Catholic Franciscan Monastery was founded, possibly in the 15th century. It is one of the very few Catholic monasteries in rural Crete. Of the monastery’s buildings, only the single-aisled church dedicated to the Virgin Mary survives. The church has several interesting architectural details with Gothic […]
Church of Agios Haralampos & Panagia (St. Charalampus & Mother Mary) (Paliama)
North of the village of Moroni, at the ruins of the small village of Paliama, there is a two-aisled church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Charalampus, featuring ancient architectural elements in its masonry.
Panagia (Mother Mary) at Kirmousi
The church of Panagia survives south of the hamlet of Makres, in the completely deserted hamlet of Kirmousi. This is a 15th century single-aisled church, beside which traces of buildings and tombs have been excavating, findings that indicate the existence of a monastery.
Koimisi tis Theotokou (Dormition of Mother Mary) (Panagia)
This is a 15th century three-aisled basilica dedicated to the Dormition of Mother Mary with many interesting construction details. The hamlet of Panagia, one of the best-preserved traditional villages in central Crete, was named after the church.
Agia Kyriaki (St. Kyriake) (Zaros)
This is a small two-aisled church that may be the oldest church in Zaros. The southern aisle dates back to the 14th century and it was later extended with the addition of a second aisle in the 17th or 18th century. The wood-carved chancel screen is particularly artful, while many of the church’s icons are […]
Avvakospilio
West of Koudoumas Monastery lies Avvakospilio, a cavernous church where, according to tradition, Ossios Kosmas lived as an ascetic during the 7th century and where his remains were buried.
The Church of Panagia at Kapetaniana
The small livestock farmers settlement of Kapetaniana is located on the eastern part of the sierra of Asterousia, in an area where monasticism thrived in the period of the early Venetian occupation, as is evinced from the large number of churches and hermitages that survive until this day. Inside the settlement is the church of […]
Saint George & Saint Constantine at Pyrgos
The nave and the south aisle, dedicated to St. George and St. Constantine respectively, are the only remains of the original three-aisled church today. The present, north, aisle of St. George has mural painting of the end of the 13th century, characteristic of the antiquated art of the period in which six scenes from the […]
