Saint Dimitrios Church at Platanes
The cemetery church of Agios Dimitrios (Saint Demetrius) is located between the two neighborhoods of the almost deserted and uninhabited village Platanes in Selino province, Chania prefecture. Platanes name means the place with many plane trees. The village is pinned at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level, at one of the aridest and infertile regions of the whole prefecture of Chania. This barren area gets life from a great spring with some of the best and most delicious tastes in the whole province. The spring of Platanes is located right next to the church of Saint Demetrius that celebrates on October 26. The yard hosts a separate bell tower and the whole area is shaded by huge plane trees.
Saint Demetrius is a typical single aisled chapel, like most in the province of Selino, and is very simple externally. The interior, however, is full of frescoes dating back to the year 1497. Despite the intense damage from time and lack of maintenance, we can that they are preserved in condition to date. They have vivid colors and depict mainly male saints. In a very good condition we see St. Procopius, St. Anthony, St. Constantine and St. Helen and various scenes from the life of Christ. The wooden iconostasis is colorful.
