Church of Michael Archangel at Kavalariana
Approximately one kilometer northeast of Kantanos, Selinos Province, Chania Prefecture, there is the funerary temple of Archangel Michael or Astratigos in Kavalariana settlement. At a beautiful and peaceful area surrounded by the greenery of ancient olives, oaks, and cypresses. It is located in an area once crossed by several transport trails.
The church of Archangel Michael looks very simple as almost all the churches of West Crete. However, inside the church, the scenery changes dramatically by the rich frescoes covering every wall of the temple. The frescoes of the church are the work of the most famous painter of the Venetian Era in West Crete, Ioannis Pagomenos, and the painting of the church took place between 1327-1328 (the same time he finished the frescoes of Saint John at Trachiniakos, nearby).
The middle arches of the south wall are extremely important because it is the only wall in Crete referring to the Venetian Occupation. There are many depicted Saints (especially military Saints), all without eyes, while we meet the Saint James Intercisus (the Persian), extremely rare, as is also a striking image of Christ Pantocrator, a masterpiece of a really important artist.
