Page 278 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

Along the National Highway, Crete. The present buildings
x " 2 km (1 mile) west of Gourniá, date from Venetian times,
Gourniá an old concrete road turns when the monastery was
Γουρνιά left up to Moní Faneroménis, fortified against pirate
a spectacular 6-km (4-mile) attacks. The Turkish name
⌂ 19 km (12 miles) E climb. Here, the 15th-century “Toploú” refers to the cannon
of Ágios Nikólaos @ chapel of the Panagía was installed here. During World
# 8:30am–3pm Tue–Sun built into a deep cave and is War II, Resistance radio
¢ Main public hols the reposi tory for sacred (and broadcasts were transmitted
EXPERIENCE Crete stands on a low hill over looking East along the National for which Abbot Siligknakis
The Minoan site of Gourniá
some say miraculous) icons.
from the monastery, an act
Highway, a left turning from
Gennadios and two of his
the tranquil Mirabéllo Bay.
Sfáka leads to the delight ful
Excavated by the American
monks were executed by
archaeologist Harriet Boyd-
the Germans at Agiá prison
resort village of Móhlos. Just
Hawes between 1901 and
1904, Gourniá is the best-
There are three levels of
joined to the mainland by a
cells over looking the inner
preserved Minoan town in offshore is a small island, once in western Crete.
narrow strip of land, which is
Crete. A mini-palace (one- the site of a Minoan settle- courtyard, where a small 14th-
tenth the size of Knosos) ment and cemetery. century church contains icons
marks its centre, surrounded and frescoes. The most
by a labyrinth of narrow, famous of these is the Lord,
stepped streets and single- Thou Art Great icon, com-
room dwellings. The site was c " pleted in 1770 by the Cretan
inhabited as early as the 3rd Moní Toploú artist Ioannis Kornaros, com-
millennium BC, though what Μονή Τοπλού prising 61 miniature but
remains dates instead from meticulously detailed scenes.
the Second Palace Period, ⌂ 10 km (6 miles) E of Sitía, On the façade of the church,
around 1700 BC. A fire, caused Lasíthi § 28430 29630 an inscription records the
@ Towards Váï # Apr–Oct:
by seismic activity in 1450 BC, Arbitration of Magnesia in
destroyed the settlement. 9am–6pm daily; Nov–Mar: 132 BC. This was a landmark
9am–6pm Fri only
decision that settled a dispute
Founded in the 14th century, between the rival city-states
Moní Toploú is now one of of Ierapytna (which is today’s
the wealthiest and most Ierápetra) and Itanos over the
influential monasteries in control of the Temple of Zeus
Diktaios at Palékastro. The
inscription stone was used
originally as a tombstone.
The vibrantly decorated The monastery’s small but
refectory (inset) of the worthwhile museum houses
fortress-like 14th-century etchings and 15th- to 18th-
Moní Toploú century icons.

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