Holy Monastery Of Toplou

The Monastery of Toplou

The Holy Monastery of Toplou is located at the most northeastern tip of Crete, at the base of Akrotiri Sidero, 10km east of Sitia and 6km north of Palaikastro. The Monastery is one of the most historic monasteries of Crete and is well known for the many archeological treasures it possesses. A visit to it is worthwhile, as you can combine it with a walk to the surrounding beautiful beaches of ancient Itano and the nearby palm forest in Vai. The monastery is surrounded by a 10m wall after it was looted by Turkish raiders in the 15th century and it was decided to be fortified. It has an area of 800 square meters and is three-storeyed, having 40 rooms, an imposing 33m renaissance bell tower of a square shape, while according to tradition it has 100 doors, but 99 have been found. In the center, there is a well with water which safeguarded the monks during the various sieges by the Turks and by the pirates.

Very important portable icons are kept in the Toplou monastery, such as the one of Christ the Almighty (15th century) by Andreas Ritzou, "Megas ei, Kyrie" by Ioannis Kornaros (1770) with illustrations of almost all the verses of the Great Consecration, "Rodon the Amaranto" (1771), of Saint Anastasia and the Virgin Mary (which was found in a nearby cave where holy water flows), while there are also several well-preserved frescoes from the 14th century. In the Toplou monastery there is also a museum of Copperplates and Greek Folk Engravings by the Monks of Mount Athos in the 18th-19th century that operates. Moreover, on display there are objects of Ecclesiastical Art such as Gospels, crosses, Patriarchal sigils, Sultanate firmans, seals, revolutionary banners, hierarchal vestments and others.