Rethymno Preveli Monastery

Location: Preveli

The Monastery of Preveli is located on the rocky hills of the Kourtaliotiko Gorge, on the southern coast of the Rethymno Prefecture. It consists of two monasteries, the Lower or Kato Preveli, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, and the Upper or Pisso Monastery of Agios Ioannis Theologos, about 3 km from Kato Preveli. The monasteries date back to the mid-16th century and have been destroyed and restored several times throughout the centuries. It is said that the monastery owes its name to the noble Prevelis family from Rethymno Town, who contributed to its restoration in the 18th century.

Built near the river and its spectacular arched bridge, Kato Preveli is a typical Orthodox monastery with the church of John the Baptist in the center. The buildings in the rectangular courtyard comprise the monks’ cells and some additional buildings. Today it is deserted, but its 18th and 19th-century buildings are gradually being restored.

Upper Preveli consists of a double-aisled basilica with a complex of buildings around it, including a dining hall, food cellars and meeting halls. An old fountain with the inscription “1701” is still used as a water source. In the interior, the icons of Saint John and Saint Charalambos and the biblical frescoes have been painted by artists from the Cretan School of Iconography and date from the 16th century.

Many valuable relics and icons were looted during the wars. The remaining collections can be seen at the Ecclesiastical Museum of Kato Preveli, where religious vestments, relics, icons from the 17th century and a historical cross that depicts the Baptism of Jesus Christ and was used as a war banner are exhibited.

During the struggles for the liberation of Crete, the Monastery of Preveli served as a refuge for soldiers and rebels both in the 19th century and during World War II. In 1941, after the Battle of Crete, the monks provided shelter to the Allied soldiers who had not managed to abandon the island and eventually helped them escape to the Middle East. Thus, in 2001, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Crete, the monastery decided to erect the Preveli International Memorial for Resistance and Peace on its own land. Overlooking the Libyan Sea, the monument is dedicated to the Allied troops from Greece, Australia, New Zealand and Britain who took part in the battle, as well as to the Cretan civilians who resisted the invaders.