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CHANIA - RETHYMNO - HERAKLIO - AGIOS-NIKOLAOS
CHANIA
 Monastery of Tzagaroli
It is a monastery of 17th century, with repairs that were made during the ottoman occupation. It was abandoned during the revolution of 1821 and ransacked by the Turks. In 1834 it is repaired one more time: a new abbot' s quarters, a guest house and, in the turn of century, a new bell - tower were built. From 1897 onwards, there is also an ecclesiastical school there.
It is a typical example of the orthodox monastical architecture. The rectangular precinct has a majestic gate. The Katholicon, which is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, has the form of the athonite triconch church with a chapel dedicated to the Transfiguration of Christ and a cemetery beneath the church. The Monastery owned olive-presses, stables, wine-presses and wine cellars. Although it is a monastery, it has a museum and receives many visitors. The monastery Chrisoscalitissa , 73 km away from Chania, was built during the Venetian Occupation on the site of the old monastery of Agios Nickolaos. It is built on steep rocks with a view of the Libyan Sea. Tradition says that one of the 99 steps is gold, but the sinners are not able to see it. This is the reason why the monastery was called Chrisoscalitissa (scali=step). The icon of Virgin Mary that is in the monastery, is estimated to be more than 1000 years old and fetes on August 15th. It is of two aisles and consecrated to the Assumption of Virgin Mary and to the Holy Trinity. During the German Occupation, it constituted German outpost. Near the monastery, at the beach, a small settlement of anglers was found from the Middle Minoan Period
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RETHYMNO Monastery of Preveli
It is a stauropegian monastery founded probably in the 16th century. It played an important part during the Cretan revolutions and particularly during the revolution of 1866, when the rebels took refuge there. It was an extremely wealthy monastery with a large real estate property. In 1831, the first Greek School was founded there.
The Katholicon is a two-aisled church dedicated to St John the Theologian and the Annunciation of the Virgin. It was built in 1836 but has been repaired many times during the following years. Inside the monastery, there are cells, the old abbot' s quarters that was transformed to a guest-house, the new abbot' s quarters of 1900 as well as a library.
 Monastery of Aghia-Irini
It is situated near the same settlement of the same name a few kilometers south of the town of Rethymno in the direction of Roussospiti. This very old monastery is considered to date back to as early as the 14th century. It flourished during the Venetian occupation and continued to exist during the period of Turkish occupation. However at some point it fell into disuse and henceforth remained entirely deserted. Restoration works were started in 1989 which were awarded the European Prize of Architectural Inheritance ¨Europa Nostra¨ in 1995. The monastery was given new life due to the eager of the nuns. Today the monastery also represents the heart of foklore traditions which are protected and preserved by the nuns in the field of handicraft in general and of weaving and embroidering in particular, since it houses permanent exbition of needlework produced by the nuns themselves.
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HERAKLIO
 Monastery of Valsamoneron
The Monastery was probably built during the first centuries of the Venetian occupation. There are incised inscriptions since 1332. The northern aisle was the first to be built; the rest, as well as the exonarthex, were added later.
The northern aisle is dedicated to the Virgin, the southern to St John the Precursor and dated in 1400-1428 and the lateral to St Phanourios, whose frescoes were painted in 1438 by the Cretan painter Constantinos Ricos. The church' s frescoes are very important and well preserved.
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AGIOS NIKOLAOS
Monastery of Toplou It is an historical monastery of the 15th century, which collapsed in the earthquake of 1612 and was rebuilt with the financial aid of the Venetians. During the Ottoman conquest of Crete, the monastery was destroyed and devastated by the Turks. In 1704 the monastery was declared stauropegion. During the Ottoman occupation there was a school in the monastery, while, after 1870, it was founded there a school of mutual teaching. The Monastery is a stauropegion fortress. The main building of 800 m2 has three floors, which are divided into cells, guest - houses, kitchens, the abbot' s residense and warehouses. The katholicon is a two-aisled church; the northern aisle is dedicated to the Virgin, and the southern posterior aisle, to St John the Theologian. The monastery' s characteristic bell tower bears relief crowns and crosses with inscriptions and the date 1558.
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