Chrysoskalitissa Monastery

Greek Orthodox monastery in Crete

35°18′41″N 23°32′00″E / 35.3113°N 23.5334°E / 35.3113; 23.5334ArchitectureDate established17th century

Chrysoskalitissa Monastery (Greek: Μονή Χρυσοσκαλιτίσσης) is a 17th-century Eastern Orthodox Christian monastery located on the southwest coast of the island of Crete, Greece. Within the municipal district of Innachori of the municipality of Kissamos, the monastery lies about 72 kilometres southwest of Chania. Built up on rocks 35 metres above the water, it overlooks the Libyan Sea.

Features

History

The coastal area close to the monastery promontory has several small coves that in earlier times offered welcome landing points for sailors coming to Crete from the west.^[1] There archeologists have found interesting remains of late Neolithic and Early Minoan settlements .^[2]

According to local tradition, the name of the monastery is derived from one of the ninety steps leading up to the main building. This step is said to be golden (χρυσός - chrysos in Greek) and visible only to devout Christians.^[3] The monastery is dedicated to the Holy Trinity (Aγία Τριάδα - Agia Triada) and the Dormition of Virgin Mary (Κοίμησης της Θεοτόκου - Koimisis tis Theotokou).

References

^ Nowicki, Krzysztof (2000). Defensible sites in Crete, c. 1200-800 B.C.: (LM IIIB/IIIC through Early Geometric). Histoire de l'art et archéologie de la Grèce antique. Université de Liège. p. 22. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
^ Nowicki, Krzysztof (2008). Monastiraki Katalimata: Excavation of a Cretan Refuge Site, 1993-2000. INSTAP (Institute for Aegean Prehistory) Academic Press. p. 75. ISBN 9781623030605. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
^ "Places to Go". Deltanet. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved May 10, 2009.