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Capital of the Roman province of Cyrenaica, Gortyn became the first Christian community in Greece in the year 65 A.D. after St. Paul appointed Titus as bishop, with a mission to convert the whole of Crete.

In the 16^th century the Cretan School of painting, closely allied with Byzantine tradition, produced numerous painters of icons, both famous and unknown.

Crete is scattered with the ruins of countless frescoed churches dating from 961, when the Byzantines recaptured Crete form the Saracens, to 1204, when the island fell into the hands of the Venetians.

The following churches can still be seen:

IN CHANIA

• The chapel of the Moneyless Saints (Agii Anargiri) with old Byzantine frescoes.

• The Russo-Byzantine church of Agia Magdalini in the Halepa quarter

IN THE DISTRICT OF CHANIA

• At Akrotiri , northeast of the city 916.5 km) the Monastery of Agia Triada (Tzangarol), with a fine gate and church, built in 1632.

• Near Agia Triada, the Monastery of Our Lady of the Angels of Gouvernetou, founded in 1548, has a Renaissance style church whose impressive facade is decorated with Venetian sculptures.

• The Gonia Monastery , (24 km west of Chania), near the village of Kolimbari Also called the Hodigitria (Madonna as guide), it has a lovely view and buildings dating from 1662.

• At Kato Episkopi  a village about 10 km south of Kolimbari, the Rotonda of the Archangel Michael with interesting mosaic floors and important frescoes by Byzantine artists of the 12^th century.

• At the village of Alikianos , (13 km southwest of Chania) the Byzantine church of St. George with frescoes dated from 1430.

• At the village of Sougia , on the south coast of the district, there are some exquisite mosaics from an early Christian 6^th century basilica preserved in the village’s modern church.

IN THE DISRICT OF RETHYMNO

• The Monastery of Arkadi (Moni Arkadi), (3 km southeast of Rethimno) built in the 16^th century in a wonderful natural setting. It is linked with memorable events in the island’s struggle against Turkish oppression. There is a tourist pavilion outside the monastery.

• The Monastery of Preveli , 936 km south of Rethimno). A historic monastery well worth visiting with a small museum and beautiful view of the Libyan Sea (Liviko Pelagos).

IN HERAKLIO

• The cathedral of Agios Minas and the smaller church of Agios Minas beside it. The church of St. Catherine (Agia Ekaterini), containing icons by Michail Damaskinos , the most important representative of the Cretan School.

IN THE DISTRICT OF HERAKLIO

• At Scotini, about 1 km northwest of Fodele , the little church of the Presentation of the Virgin (Issodia tis Theotokou) built on the site of an older church of the 11^th or 12^th century.

• About 56 km southwest of Iraklio the Monastery of Vrondissi  with a fountain carved in relief (15^th c.) at the entrance to the garden and a panoramic view.

• Further southwest, near the village of Vorizia, 52 km from Iraklio) the abandoned monastery of Varsamoneri. Here one can see the church of Agios Planourios whose 15^th century frescoes are of great artistic and scientific value, a unique monument of the Cretan School.

• At Gortyn (Gortis), the three-apsed basilica (6^th dedicated to St. Titus, one of the most important monuments of Christianity in Crete.

• Near Krassi, west of Agios Nikolaos, the Monastery of Kardiotissa  with its church consecrated to the Virgin of Kera.

IN THE DISTRICT OF LASSITHI

• About 9 km from Agios Nikolaos before the village of Kritsa, the church of Our Lady of Kera , filled with frescoes form the 14^th or 15^th century and judged to be the finest in Crete.

• East of Sitia (18 km), the Monastery of Toplou or the Panayia (Virgin ) Akrotiriani , dating from the 15^th century B.C. and a famous 18^th century icon by Ioannis Kornaros. South of Sitia (41 km), the Monastery of Kapsa .