Agarathos Monastery, Hersonissos, Greece

Agarathos is one of the oldest monasteries in Crete but its exact date of establishment is not known. Most probably, it was established during the second Byzantine period and originally belonged to the Kallergis family. According to tradition, it received its name from a Jerusalem sage bush (agarathia in the Cretan dialect), under which an old icon of Virgin Mary was found.

The earliest written reference to the monastery dates back to 1532 and the Venetian period. During that time, Agarathos was a very wealthy monastery, with many of its monks originating from Kythira. During the Ottoman occupation of Crete, the monastery often served as a local revolutionary center and suffered several retaliatory attacks as a result. Several important figures, among which Cyril Lucaris, Meletius Pegas, Joseph Bryennios, Gerasimos Palaiokapas and Theodore of Alexandria, have been enrolled as monks at Agarathos.

Agarathos monastery is built with a fortified architecture. The main building (katholikon) is a two-nave church that was erected on the location of an older one and was inaugurated in 1894. One nave is dedicated to Kimisis and the other to St. Minas. In 1935, the church was declared as a preservable monument. An old church dedicated to St. Raphael is located outside the courtyard.

References:

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User Reviews

Bojan (5 months ago)
This is apparently one of the oldest monasteries on Crete. Tucked in away from touristy places, peaceful and calm surroundings. Wonderful architecture and the garden surrounding it is nice as well.

Steffen Kreuzer (6 months ago)
Lovely little monastery, far away from tourist masses.

Dimitris Simigiannis (11 months ago)
A peaceful place - with a beautiful 15th century monastery

Phil Butler (2 years ago)
Agarathos is one of the oldest monasteries in Crete, and one of the most beautiful. As you can see from the photos, the interior of the church is magnificent, but the surroundings and location are as impressive. Located a bit off the beaten path, the monastery is actually not so for from the beaches East of Heraklion, and some amazing nature. A must see, really.

Mamma Bear (2 years ago)
A lovely quaint monastery located high in the hills of Crete. The monk was very welcoming and a pleasure to talk to. A must see!

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