Monasteries

Close to the Chania International Airport "Daskalogiannis" (IATA: CHQ) and about 15 kilometers drive from Chania town, you will find one of Crete's richest and most beautiful monasteries: Agia Triada Tzagaroli. Dedicated to the Holy Trinity, this place of worship owns its existence to Venetian-Cretan noblemen Jeremiah and Lawrence Tzagarolo. They erected it here in the 17th century over the ruins of a former church.

During the Ottoman occupation of Crete, the Turks called it Selvili Manastir, "the monastery with the cypress trees," a worthy moniker given the nature surrounding the temple at the time. A road lined up with cypress trees still leads to the entrance of the monastery.

During its history, Agia Triada Tzagaroli served a vital role in the development of Cretan education, and today contributes significantly to the local tourism and economy. The monks produce olive oil, wine, and soap of exceptional quality, which you can purchase from the monastic shop on the premises.

During a tour of the complex, you can visit the olive oil mill and the wine cellar, as well as a small monastic museum exhibiting religious artwork, clothing, crucifixes, and documents of great value. Some of the most noteworthy exhibits include a portable icon of St John the Theologian from the 1500s, a manuscript on a parchment roll with the mass of St. Basil, a portable icon from 1855 with the Hospitality of Abraham, and the Zoodochos Pege (Fountain of Life) icon from the 17th century.

About 19 kilometers east of Chania town and less than three kilometers from Agia Triada Tzagaroli, you will find another one of Crete's monastic pearls: Gouverneto Monastery. The complex stands at the entrance of the Avlaki Gorge, 290 meters above sea level, in a natural area of rare beauty.

It is a fortified monastic complex, probably founded by the monks of the nearby Katholiko Monastery, who retired here to escape pirates' attacks. Constructed sometime before 1537, Gouverneto is one of Crete's oldest religious sites of its kind still in operation. Because the church of the complex is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the monastery is sometimes called Kyria ton Agelon (Lady of the Angels Monastery). The church has a beautifully ornate Venetian façade, with an entrance decorated with relief depictions of monsters.

You will also find two small chapels in the courtyard of the monastery, one dedicated to Agii Deka (Saints Ten) and the other to Saint John the Hermit, who died in the nearby cave at Katholiko Monastery in the 11th century. In one of the chapels, you can see the remains of some of the oldest frescoes on the island.

If you visit Gouverneto Monastery, plan ahead and wear sturdy hiking shoes if you want to see the Katholiko Monastery. This is in the Avlaki Gorge, at the end of a steep cobblestoned trail that passes Church of St. Anthony and the Cave of Panagia Arkoudiotissa.

Katholiko Monastery is about 20 kilometers east of Chania, in the Avlaki Gorge - a wild area full of caves, not far from the sea, on Cape Akrotiri. The cave where Saint John the Hermit died in the 11th century became one of Crete's ascetic places, and, in time, a place of pilgrimage. Its popularity grew so much that in the 17th century, Venetian nobleman Jeremiah Tzagarolo was commissioned to build a monastic complex of impressive complexity.

Today you can only see the ruins of the edifice, with the bridge over the gorge's river, hermits' cells, and several other structures.

To reach Katholiko Monastery, follow the cobbled trail that starts at the Gouverneto Monastery and walk about 800 meters. Mind your footwear, as the walk is steep. On your way, you will pass the Church of St. Anthony and the Cave of Panagia Arkoudiotissa (also known as Cave Arkoudospilios or the Bear Cave) - both worth visiting.