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Prefecture: Lassithi
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Koufi Petra mon.
The Monastery of Koufi Petra is a new monastery near the town of Neapoli, Lassithi prefecture and is accessible from a junction on the road from Vrisses to Neapoli, not far from the main road Agios Nikolaos - Heraklion.
The monastery, is located at the foot of Mount Kavalaras, very close to the Kremaston Monastery and was founded in the early 17th century as a contract resulting from the Monastery Aretiou.The view from the Monastery at the mountains of Mirabello and the Neapoli plain is panoramic. Very close to the monastery, there are the ruins of a small temple that was built in a cavernous rock. Probably the name of the monastery (Hollow Stone) is taken after this cavernous temple.
Places near Koufi Petra mon.
Temporarily Closed due to restoration works in progress.
The Archaeological Collection of Neapolis was created before World War II and within two years included around 1000 items, found mostly in the area of Mirambello and in other sites of the Prefecture. During the Italian rule, thanks to the efforts of Emm. Mavroeidis (then ektaktos curator of Antiquities) the Collection was protected in the underground of the Club. Today it is housed in a building ceded to the Ministry of Culture by the Ministry of Health and the Municipality. The Collection is temporarily closed to the public.
It includes:
- Finds from the excavations of the French School of Archaeology at Elounta (1937),
- Finds from the excavations of the French School of Archaeology at Hellenika (1937),
- Finds from the excavations of the French School of Archaeology at Dreros (1937),
- Finds from the excavations of Emm. Mavroeidis at a Late Minoan tomb in Tourloti, near Seteia,
- Finds from the excavations of Emm. Mavroeidis at a Hellenistic tomb at Kalo Chorio (ancient Istrona),
- Finds from the area of Mirambello, collected or given to the Ephorate
Antiquities collected by the Italian forces from Aghios Nikolaos (ancient Lato pros Kamara) and other areas of the Prefecture,
- Numismatic collection (coins given by citizens).
Telephone: +30 28420 8721
http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/1/eh155.jsp?obj_id=3487
The monastery was built at the end of the sixteenth century. The date 1593 appears over the main entrance to the monastery, and the year 1622 in the church. This beautifully situated monastery on the slope of a hill overlooking Neapolis, was occupied by the Turkish administrator of the Lassithi prefecture, Kostis Pasha, while Neapolis was being built. I visited it as part of a very small group and the nuns were very welcoming - offering us a drink and a chance to cool down inside the monastery. They also have a small shop with some beautiful hand made items which is worth a look. All money goes to the upkeep of this fabulous place.