Agia Moni monastery in Viannos
The monastery of Agia Moni (Holy Monastery) is located about 60km east of Heraklion and 38km west of Ierapetra, near Kavoussi Gorge. It can be accessed via a short road that starts from Ano Viannos and passes through a verdant landscape.
Agia Moni operates as a male monastery, is small and very old. The church of the Monastery, with its imposing gate, is dedicated to the Assumption (celebrates on August 15). Around the church there are the monks' cells.
The exact date of its creation is unknown, but according to tradition it was built by three Cypriot nuns, who originally built the church of Agios Dimitrios in Keratokambos. However, due to the constant pirate raids they were forced to leave to the mainland, where they built Agia Moni on its current position. It also said that one of these nuns founded Panagia Keralimeniotisa monastery near Psari Forada.
Timeline
- Byzantine Era: Three nuns found Agia Moni.
- 1842: The monastery gets deserted
- 1865: The monastery is inhabited again
