Kerken in Ierapetra

Historic Churches & Monasteries

Explore the religious heritage of the Ierapetra region, from the dramatic cliffside Monastery of Kapsa to the secluded mountain chapels of Anatoli and Males. These Eastern Cretan sites showcase Byzantine architectural influences, intricate wood-carved iconostases, and historical connections to monastic life. Many locations, such as Moni Exakoustis, remain active centers of Greek Orthodox tradition, while others provide insight into the rural ecclesiastical history of the Lasithi landscape.

Mone Kapsa

A 14th-century monastery built into the cliffs at the mouth of Pervolakia Gorge. It features the cave where the hermit Yerontoyiannis lived and offers views over the Libyan Sea.

Moni Exakoustis

A nunnery established in the late 19th century near the village of Males. The site includes a distinctive wood-carved iconostasis and is surrounded by a pine forest.

Agio Pneuma

A mountain-side church located near the traditional village of Anatoli, characteristic of the region's rural Greek Orthodox architecture.

Panagia Eleousa

Historic Byzantine-style church located in the village of Anatoli, featuring traditional stonework.

I. N. Timiou Staurou

A church dedicated to the Holy Cross, situated in the mountainous terrain of Anatoli.

Hagios Antonios

A rural church located near the village of Males, representing the post-Byzantine religious architecture of Lasithi.

Panagia Karydiane

A small chapel situated near Kalamafka, serving as a local place of worship in the Cretan countryside.

Genesis tis Theotokou - Agios Ioannis Prodromos

A double-aisled church located in the northern Ierapetra region, dedicated to the Nativity of Mary and Saint John the Baptist.

Hagia Paraskeue

A Greek Orthodox church located near Kavousi, typical of the modest religious structures found in Eastern Crete.

Agios Saranta Analepseos tou Kyriou

A place of worship located in the hills near Meseleroi, dedicated to the Forty Martyrs and the Ascension of the Lord.