Church of Saint Ekaterini at Splantzia
The temple of Saint Ekaterini (Agia Aikaterini) is located in a short distance from Aghios Nikolaos of Splantzia. It is a two-aisled structure with a front that ends to a gable. The base of the bell-tower can still be seen in the yard. The door-frames are supported by chiseled pseudo-pillars and are crowned with gothic relief arches.
In the interior, the vertical surfaces of the walls are separated by corniced arches. In general, the architecture of the temple marks the transition period from the post-gothic to mannerist architecture styles, which leads to the conclusion that the temple was built during the second half of the 16th century. In comparison to the rest of the Orthodox temples of Chania, here we can witness architectural elements that predominate in Catholic temples.
During the Turkish period the temple was used as a bakery, and until recently it was used as a repair shop. Nevertheless, the locals continued to worship Aghia Ekaterini (St. Catherine) there. In the recent years, the temple was recovered and renovated by the Archeological Service, and became once again a site of worship, dedicated to Aghia Ekaterini and Aghios Ioannis the Hermit.
