Agios Georgios Assari

The Monastery of Panagia Faneromeni is located between Gournia and Pachia Ammos, in a fairly high attitude, 540 meters, on the northern side of the mountain region of Ierapetra’s cross and arranged in 6 levels.
The Catholic Monastery dedicated to the Assumption and Life Giving Source, is a cavernous, in a rock cavity shape in the fifth level.

Its exact establishment time is not known, nor can be deduced from the architectural elements that are preserved. A major renovation happened after 1839. By the mid 20th century, extensive interventions that altered several buildings and the overall form of the complex happened.
The monastery operates today with communal regime.

The twin-naved church of the Virgin Mary (Panagia) and the Ascension of the Lord is built on a steep site in the location Gourni 1km west from Stavros village and 10km north of Ierapetra Town. 

The church was apparently a Catholicon of a monastery, of which today extensive construction relics can be seen on ground level. The original church is the southern aisle, dedicated to the Assumption, measuring 6.00 x 7.50 metres. It belongs to the type of barrel-vaulted church with a supporting arch (sfendonio).

Typologically similar but without a sfendonio is the northern aisle added in a second building phase, probably in the 16th century. At the same time a vaulted narthex, common to both churches, was constructed. In the third construction phase, after the collapse of the narthex, the large arched communication openings on the western wall of the two aisles were walled up and normal doors were formed instead.

Frescoes are maintained only in the church of Panagia. The iconographic program comprises two modules: the highly compact Christological cycle that dominates the eastern part with a big depiction of the Ascension, and the extensive Marian cycle developed in the west. Five scenes can be discerned from this cycle at present (Prayer of Joachim and Anna, Birth, Flattery, Assumption). Despite the significant damages, we can distinguish a particularly competent artist, who represents a very mature artistic style of the 15th century.

Gournia-its ancient name is unknown- is the most typical excavated example of a medium settlement size of the Minoan edge region (1700-1540 BC).
The town was established in a low hill to Isthmus of Ierapetra close to the sea. Two regional paved roads intersected by slashes to them, usually graduated, all connected to the sewerage system, define building blocks, seven of which have already been excavated.

The palace – local lord’s home – is in the top of the hill. It was its center and most probably the settlement’s market. A series of steps in the southern side was its “theatrical place” for religious ceremonial events.

Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos