architecture
Church of Agios Thomas
The settlement of Agios Thomas, built in a privileged location, 30 kilometres to the south of the city of Heraklion, preserves a large number of churches in relation to its size. The three-aisled church with a domed narthex of St. Thomas from which the settlement took its name dominates the centre of the settlement. Its […]
Aghiou Petrou & Pavlou (St. Peter & St. Paul) Church
The church was built during the early era of Venetian rule next to the sea wall of the city and served as the Catholicon of the Monastery of the Dominican Order. In its initial form, it was a single-aised wooden-roofed church and four chapels were gradually added to it. Its architecture is particularly interesting, as […]
Hodegetria (Our Lady of the Way) (Kritsa)
The 19th century two-aisled church is dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin Mary and to Saint Charalampus. The church is unique in that it combines elements of Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman architecture. It is home to numerous portable icons, chief among them being that of Panagia Galaktotrofoussa (Virgin Mary Nursing the Baby Jesus).
Church of Zoodochos Pigi (Life-Giving Font) (Avli)
The old, stone-built church of Zoodochos Pigi, of exceptional architectural interest, is located deep within a small valley and its feast day is on the first Friday after Easter.
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 […]
Koimisi tis Theotokou (Dormition of Mother Mary) Church (Agia Galini)
This is the church of the district cemetery. It is of an unusual architectural style, since it has two smaller aisles perpendicular to the axis of the central nave. The Church of the Dormition is associated with a local legend that refers to the hamlet name. According to this legend, a Byzantine princess was travelling […]
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 […]
Church of Agios Georgios and Agios Haralampos (St. George & St. Charalampus) (Episkopi)
The church of Saint George and Saint Charalampus is one of the most important religious monuments in the region of Ierapetra. The 11th century Byzantine bathhouse that originally stood on the site was converted into a church, possibly during the 16th century. Byzantine bathhouses and churches shared many architectural elements, and, as a result, abandoned […]
Holy Monastery of Faneromeni at Ierapetra
The monastery, which celebrates on the Dormition of the Theotokos, is located on the north side of Mount Stavros, a steep elevation west of the archaeological area of Gournies. Its foundation date is unknown even though non-extant sources mention it already at the end of the 13th century, connecting it with the revolution of the […]
