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Prefecture: Heraclion
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Lagou
To the east of Smari, at 400 m above sea level and 9km north of Kastelli village, with 99 inhabitants, Lagou is first mentioned in the Turkish census of 1671 with 4 haratsia (head tax).
The journey to the village is charming getting you through areas of impressive wild landscape, and the typical old stone houses of Lagou, through the combined efforts of the members of the cultural centre, are being restored to their original traditional form so as to get the well deserved honour of being considered a protected traditional settlement.
Places near Lagou
Kalergi Monastery is a picturesque monastery in Heraklion Prefecture dedicated to Saint John Prodromos, this peaceful place is situated in the southeast of Smari village by Kasteli region, south of the peak of Voukolies, at a distance of two kilometres from Kastelli village.
It was built one hundred years ago. However, on the peak of Mount Voukolies there are remains testifying to the existence of a monastery in that region that goes back hundreds of years.
The Kallergi Monastery is a monastery complex dedicated to St. John the Baptist, while the surrounding area is mountainous and barren. Although the exact date of its construction is not known, it seems that it was founded during the Venetian period. It is speculated that the site where it was built was a feud of Callergi.
During a period of tension, because of religious conflicts, the monastery hosted the Byzantine scholar and theologian Joseph Vryennios (1380-1400), to whom the area has been related. Since the early 20th century, the monastery has undergone several restorations, and since 1998 the restoration work has been continuing by the “Friends of the KalergisMonastery”.
Village with spectacular view, graphic little lanes, traditional kafeneia and taverns is a popular tourist destination, especially in the summer where many Kritikes Vradies (Cretan evenings) are organized with local music and dance.
Bisariano is a traditional small village of about 24 inhabitants in the Municipality of Kasteli Pediada, 320 m above sea level and about 3 km to the north of Kastelli on the road to Hersonissos.
A pretty village with stone houses, graphic lanes and courtyards covered in flowers.
It is first mentioned in 1881, as Bizariano, Municipality of Kasteli, with 55 Christian inhabitants. In 1951, it changes its name to Pigi. Its first name is that of a family, Bizariano.
Close to the village, in a beautiful spot full of lush vegetation, evergreen plane trees and gushing water, stands the ancient church of Agios Pandeleimonas, with its three naves.
Two rows of arches supported by columns without capitals separate the naves. Another column is made exclusively of capitals, apparently brought in from other churches or temples. Practically all the middle outside wall is decorated with inscriptions, Byzantine reliefs and crosses.
The artistic highlight of the church of Saint Panteleimon are its fresco scenes painted on the walls which are among the oldest in Crete, although very few frescoes remain. In the lower section of the arch, there is the representation of the three Hierarchs, shown on full length, with vertical inscriptions on it. On the two side walls there are the representations of Saints in a colossal size. These scenes were designed to be a source of biblical education to the faithful, who would have been illiterate at that time.
Chapel of Jesus Christ the Savior in Smari
The church of the Metamorphosis of Jesus Christ the Savior is located on the western slope of the hill Prophet Elias, near the Acropolis of Smari. It is a single – aisled arched church, inside of which there are interesting frescoes, typical of the style that prevailed in the 14th century. The morphological characteristics of the church are from the 14th century too.
Chapel of Agios Georgios (Saint George)
The single-aisled arched church of Agios Georgios is located in the plain of the village Smari and it is the oldest Byzantine written source for the village, because of the dedicatory inscription of 1320-1321. We can recognize paintings, made by two different painters, in the part of the frescoes which are preserved on the eastern side of the temple, depicting Platitera (Our Lady), the Holy Mandylion and parts of the Annunciation according to the previous standards.
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