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Outside the village stands the newly restored, but uninhabited, monastery of Agios Ioannis o Eleimonas. The monastery is mentioned for the first time in 1637, a few decades before the Turkish occupation of Crete, and as all the monasteries from this period, it is built with thick walls making it appear almost as a fortress.
The monastery might however have been built earlier, as its church is not situated in the actual court, as is the case of other monasteries in Crete from the late Venetian period. This break of the traditional style of building indicates, that is has been built in an earlier and, with that, more peaceful period. Also the construction around the court makes you think of Italian architecture, so perhaps the monastery was originally catholic. During the Turkish period it was placed under the nearby Agia Triada monastery, which in its great periods sent out monks to other monasteries, as for example Pazinos, in order to take care of the religious ceremonies and fieldwork there.
This majestic monastery was built in 1612 by the monks Laurentius and Jeremiah, members of the Venetian orthodox family of Jagarolon.
Built on the ruins of an old church, is of Byzantine cruciform architecture with three domes.
An avenue of cypress trees will take you to the central gate while Ionic and Corinthian columns support the ceiling of the main entrance. Pay attention to a Greek inscription: "There was and there was and there was. But in there was there is and there will be Light, and Light, and Light. But in Light one God really (1631) "
It was burned down by the Turks during the 1821 revolution, desolated for many years and finally renovated yeas later by Calliopios and Gregorios, monks from the nearby area while an impressive bell-tower was added later, in 1864.
In the 19th century the monastery was an important theological school. A boarding school was founded in 1833 while in 1892 it was a seminary.
In our days, the visitor will see a beautiful, flourishing monastery in perfect condition, can visit their library, a small museum with a collection of icons and codices and can taste (and buy) their excellent home made wine and olive-oil.
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