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MONASTERIES
Many monasteries in Rethymno have been preserved. Of these, the ones which
can be visited are the following.
ARKADI MONASTERY:
The most significant monastery of Rethymno. It is situated 23 km from the city and is
built on the edge of three districts. Established in the l4th or l5th century, it
constituted an important revolutionary centre during the Turkish occupation.
The martyrdom
of fenders in 1866 made it known worldwide. The monastery is built around a central
courtyard with the Cathedral situated in the centre. Its facade is a good example of
Cretan Renaissance architecture. The Arkadi Monastery also offers in interesting relics
museum.
PREVELI MONASTERY: This monastery
consists of separate building complexes which are 3 km apart. The coastal "back
monastery" can be visited and houses a relics museum.
ARSANI MONASTERY: Á
relatively small but lively. Its museum exhibits icons from churches of Rethymno
prefecture, some of them belonging to the "Cretan School".
BALI MONASTERY: Avery well preserved monastery whose cathedral has á facade dating ï the first half
of the l7th century with Renaissance characteristics.
AGHIA IRINI NUNNERY: Old
monastery which has been recently restored just above the city of Rethymno.
METAMORPHOSIS SOTIRA NUNNERY: Asmall monastery in the western Rethymno famous for the handicrafts
the nuns sell in order to support the nummery.
DISKOURI MONASTERY:
Small, but historical monastery in the northwest of the Psiloritis mountain range. Please
observe that the above mentioned, except forbeing monuments, are active places of
workship.
ÂÕÆÁÍÔÉÍÅ CHURCHES
The prefecture of Rethymno is dotted with Byzantine churches
and more than 250 of them have wall-paintings. Hereinafter the most interesting churches
in terms of architecture and religious painting are presented.
VISARI BASILICA: Á
basilica with three aisles of the first Byzantine near the village Vizari. Its ruins are
well preserved.
PANORMO BASILICA:
Crete’s largest known early Christian church, 500m northwest of the village Panormo.
AGHIOS IOANNIS GERAKARI: A
complex of single-roomed churches which was built in three construction stages and has
interesting wall-paintings.
PANAGHIA LAMBRINIS:
Án interesting church in its entirety with decorative frescoes (two phases).
PANAGHIA MIRIOKEPHALON: Cathedral of the oldest monasteries in Crete with frescoes from two
periods.
PANAGHIA THRONOUS:
Church built on an earlier one with mosaics and frescoes from two periods.
AGHIOS IOANNIS EPISKOPIS MILOPOTAMOU: Near the border to the prefecture of Iraklion, the small village Episkopi
has an interesting semiruined cathedral.
AGHIOS GEORGIOS APOSTOLOU: Cathedral of a monastery which is no longer standing, with very interesting
frescoes.
The martyrdom
of fenders in 1866 made it known worldwide. The monastery is built around a central
courtyard with the Cathedral situated in the centre. Its facade is a good example of
Cretan Renaissance architecture. The Arkadi Monastery also offers in interesting relics
museum. 
ÂÕÆÁÍÔÉÍÅ CHURCHES 
