Location information

Monastery of Varsamoneron

Tel: +30 2810 288394, 288484
Fax: +30 2810 288484
  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 Monastery was abondoned in the early 18th century and only the Katholikon is preserved today. Its 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.
  In 1947, N. Platon supervised the restoration works that were carried out in the monastery and are still carried on by the 13 th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities under the supervision of M. Borboudakis.

The Varsamonerou Monastery

  The village of Voriza is 53km southwest of Iraklion on the Iraklion - Agia Varvara - Gergeri - Voriza road. Below (south) the village is the Varsamonero Monastery, down a dirt track. Only the church of Agios Fanourios remains of the monastery.

This text is cited Dec 2002 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains image.

Crete TOURnet WebPage
• http://www.crete.tournet.gr/MainArea.jdp?ID=147 (3 img.)

• http://www.interkriti.org/visits/kenourgio/zaros/v... (2 img.)

Byzantine church of Timios Stavros

  The Byzantine church of Timios Stavros has pleasant external decorations and an interesting window. Few of the frescoes remain.

Crete TOURnet WebPage
• http://www.crete.tournet.gr/Site.jdp?ID=1382 (7 img.)

Agios Fanourios Church

  The two aisles of the church were constructed and painted at different times: the northern aisle is the oldest with dates inscribed in the wall of 1332 and 1404, the southern one is next with an inscription dated 1400-1428. The church is a very rare example of a church with two narthex at the entrance of the church, both at right angles to the two aisles of the church. The church contains interesting exterior decorations of bricks. The doors and round windows are exceptionally well-carved. It is one of the best examples of Gothic influence in the exterior decoration of Byzantine churches in Crete; also the church contains some very well-preserved frescoes.

This text is cited Dec 2002 from the Crete TOURnet URL below, which contains images.

Crete TOURnet WebPage
• http://www.crete.tournet.gr/Site.jdp?ID=54 (7 img.)