Piso Moni Preveli or simply Moni Preveli is another Cretan monastery that is very famous in tourist guides. So that was what. Let's see what's the matter here.

Firstly, its remarkable location is to blame for its extreme popularity - on a mountainside with a magnificent view of the Libyan Sea.

Secondly, in the past Moni Preveli was one of the largest religious and cultural centers of Crete. He played a huge role in the struggle for independence from all kinds of invaders.
Thirdly, icon painters of the so-called "Sfakian" school worked here.
Fourthly, the monastery owns a real relic - the Cross of Efaim of Preveli, which heals eye diseases and works wonders. But first things first.

The most convenient way to get to Moni Preveli is from the city of Rethymno. Before reaching a few kilometers to the village of Spili, turn right under the signpost Preveli / Plakias. Next, you will cross a small but impressive gorge Kourtaliotikoat the bottom of which a river runsCourtaliot(inflowMegapotamos, which flows into the sea at the famous Preveli beach). Following the signs you will reach Kato Moni Preveli. Once it was better known as the monastery of John the Baptist. With him, in fact, the story begins. And now it is closed to the public. Since the monks finally abandoned it in 1970, it has fallen into incredible neglect. Therefore, follow further to his heir - Piso Moni Preveli, dedicated to John the Evangelist.

The road to the active monastery goes past a remarkable monument dedicated to the Battle of Crete, which took place in May 1941. The monks did not participate in the battle, but helped the Allied troops as best they could and in any way they could.

After this bloody massacre, approximately 5,000 soldiers remained on the island, who were diligently searched for by fascist patrols. Aiding the Allied forces was severely punished. Under the leadership of Father Superior Agasangelos, the monks from Preveli helped the Australians, New Zealanders and the British, who were threatened with imminent death, to contact the English submarine and escape. The transfer took place exactly on the very popular Moni Preveli beach. When the Nazis found out about the whole thing, they completely plundered the Lower Monastery, climbed into the Upper and even stole the miraculous Cross (although the Cross quickly returned to the monastery, that's why it is miraculous).

Fortunately, the monks were prepared for the Nazi backlash. Almost all of them hid in the mountains. And the mountains are too tough for anyone except local residents. After the weakening of the fascist positions in Crete, the monks, with the help of local residents, set about restoring the monastery.

Now a little about the history of the monastery. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Crete experienced a religious upsurge. Then a huge number of churches and monasteries were founded. Especially in the hard-to-reach areas of the southern coast. At the same time, the Monastery of John the Baptist appeared, now known as Kato Preveli (Lower). Until 1700 the monastery was known as "The Monastery of John the Baptist on the Great River in Crete".

In the 17th century, Piso Preveli (Back, sometimes called Upper), dedicated to John the Evangelist, appeared on the other side of the mountain. The abbot also moved there, and reception halls and rooms for pilgrims were also equipped there. Preveli received the prefix in honor of a wealthy feudal family, which took great care of the monastery, actually rebuilt the Upper Branch.
In those days, the monastery was the center of the cultural life of the region. On holidays, people gathered here, exchanged opinions, products, prepared for uprisings, learned to read (there was a large library), and even engaged in arts and crafts.

The whole history of Moni Preveli is a series of downturns caused by participation in the uprisings and upswings in relatively stable times. Often the monastery was used as a storage point for weapons of the liberators of Crete. You can read the details in English on the website www.preveli.org It describes in sufficient detail what and how it happened, under what abbots and with what consequences. Alas, due to the fact that there were constant wars for independence in Crete, there were fires and earthquakes, most of the valuable documents and evidence have sunk into oblivion. And with them interesting details.

The monastery was built terrace-like. This is quite natural for mountain landscapes. The first thing you will see upon entering its territory is a modest fountain and commemorative plaques - Australia's gift to the monastery.

Do not forget that the monastery is male and active. Two monks permanently live here - father Kallinikos and father Chryssansos. At the entrance, women who come in shorts or short skirts will receive bedspreads in which they should wrap themselves.

Going down one level, you will see a large courtyard and a two-nave cathedral, built in 1837 on the site of a former Byzantine basilica.

The cathedral is distinguished by an impressive width of the walls - one and a half meters. But the main thing is that the interior inside the cathedral remained unchanged! We do not take into account decorative tiles on the floor. Everything is exactly as it was 200 years ago. Even managed to save the original icons. Photography inside the cathedral is prohibited.

The naves are divided by a series of arches supported by strong buttresses. Below the first pillar is a pulpit with a wooden spiral staircase. The inscription on it reads: "Made by a monk Dimitris Raguzis, nicknamed Sikineosunder Reverend Rector Daniel Koufakis in 1863. Icons and gilding were laid under the rector Kallinikos Spitadakis in 1874."

Fortunately, the Patriarchal Throne and a large iconostasis made of carved wood have survived to this day. The icons of St. John the Evangelist and the life of St. Charalambis are painted in the "Sfakian" style. In particular, Cretan iconography is distinguished by dark contours and their careful drawing. The museum has preserved icons by one of the most famous icon painter monks of the 18th century, Michael of Preveli. He did not skimp on bright colors and images of animals. Take a look at the icon below.

Opposite the cathedral there were buildings that housed cells and rooms for receiving guests, a common refectory and a kitchen.

Going even lower, you will see the Holy Spring.

The inscription on it, made in palindromic form, reads: "Cleanse both my face and my soul." Date: June 15, 1701.

Well, opposite the source is a former warehouse, in which the museum of the monastery is now organized. Here are various things that have been collected and preserved from both Preveli monasteries. These are production tools, church utensils, many books, priests' robes, icons and the famous shrine - the Cross of Father Ephraim, a Cretan relic, overgrown with legends. (Sometimes it is kept in the main cathedral)

It is believed that the Cross cures eye diseases. It is made of silver. Rumor has it that when it was created, parts of the real Cross of the Lord were used. On one side of the Cross is depicted the Baptism of Jesus Christ, and on the other - the Crucifixion and the symbols of the four main Evangelists. The inscription on the leg says "Through the efforts of Father Ephraim, may the Lord keep him from the Fiery Hyena."
The cross dates from the second half of the 18th century. How much faith in the Lord and fierce love for the motherland, Father Ephraim invested in its creation, since in subsequent years the Cross became miraculous ... With this Cross, the fathers-priests blessed the soldiers before the battle. In 1823, in an unequal battle with the Turks near the town of Amourgeles, the Cross was lost. But at the end of the same year, it was brought back by Genoese sailors, who allegedly purchased it at the market in Heraklion. According to legend, sailing along the southern coast of Crete, the ship of the Genoese, contrary to all the laws of navigation and physics, stopped as if rooted to the spot just opposite the monastery of Preveli in the Libyan Sea. And until the Cross was returned to its native land, the ship could not move.
A similar incident occurred in 1941, when the Nazis ravaged the monastery in retaliation for helping the Allies and at the same time stole the miraculous Cross. On September 13, the plane carrying the shrine could not take off from the Chania airfield. Not one, not the second, not the third. And then the Cross was returned back to the Monastery.

Let's return from heaven to earth. On the territory of the monastery there is a wonderful park in which all sorts of different animals live. The kids will surely appreciate it.

If a flood suddenly comes, the monks will definitely have someone to take with them to the ark)

In summer, the monastery is open to the public from 8:00 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00. Although visiting hours may vary.
It will take you a couple of hours to see the monastery, and then you can go to Moni Preveli beach with peace of mind. It is gradually being restored after a fire in 2010, greenery has grown again on palm trees. And do not forget: this beach is a historical place. Once upon a time there were not catamarans, but rebels and submarines sailed.

For a huge number of years, all the islands Greece attracted the attention of tourists from all over the world, but the most popular and most sought after of them is the island Crete. Undoubtedly, this is due not only to a great pastime, but also to relatively affordable prices for holidays that will cost almost any planned budget. On the island of Crete, every tourist will find something of his own, as the resorts located on the island are very diverse, and make it easy to find the best option for relaxation. Crete is a great place for lovers nature, historical excursions, warm sea, beaches, mysterious myths and cheerful night recreation.

Preveli beach in Crete

Beach Preveli in Crete is a small sandy, beautiful and absolutely unique beach. He is famous throughout Greece due to the presence palm grove(Palm forest Preveli), which is located on both banks of the river Kurtaliotis. In the summer, the mouth of the river before flowing into the sea forms a small lagoon, which attracts many tourists. In addition to all this, the main attractions of this beach can be confidently attributed Rock-Heart and unique microclimate.

Resting on Preveli beach, you must definitely visit the local reserve which is under state protection. Here you can set up camp and make fires. Also, a very interesting activity will be lifting up down the river. All those who have ever rested here had a unique opportunity to swim in salty sea and fresh water at the same time.

palm Preveli beach on the island of Crete has been very popular since 1970. At that time, they settled here hippie who built huts from palms and grasses. Hippies lived here until 1980, when they were forced out by tourists who were able to appreciate the local beauty.

Today, this beach is not very organized for guests. Here you can buy food and drinks, but there is nowhere to stay for the night. Also, there are showers and toilets on the beach. This is what creates the illusion. wild beach.

In 2010, the forest of Preveli was badly damaged by a fire, which is why in 2011-2012, tourists were closed to the grove. Now the rest on the beach is again open to everyone.

How to get to the beach

Preveli beach(Preveli palm beach) is located in the central part of the southern coast of Crete, on the territory of Rethymno. And in order to get here, you must use one of the following methods:

• From the city of Plakias. Every day, comfortable pleasure boats go from the town of Plakias to the beach of Preveli. This method is especially convenient when traveling with children. The ship departs daily at 10:30 and returns at 15:30.
  Fare. An adult ticket will cost 15 euros, children from 3 to 12 years old - 7.5 euros, kids under 3 years old travel free.
• Agia Galini. From the resort village of Agia Galini, small ships go to Preveli Bay every day. Departure at 10:00 am.
• Through the monastery. In order to get to the beach in this way, you need to go to the descent, which is located one kilometer from the monastery of the same name. After that, find the Beach sign and move towards the parking lot. On average, going down the stone stairs will take at least 20 minutes. This method is not recommended for tourists with children.
• Drimiskianos. A path leads to the beach from Drimiskianos, which takes only five minutes to walk. Choosing this path, you will not be able to admire the beauty of the bay from the height of sheer cliffs.

2. Gorge Kurtaliotskoe (35.204859, 24.472146) Arch coordinates - 35.195311, 24.464550
3. Burdzuku Bridge (35.174050, 24.466250)
4. Lower Preveli Monastery (35.170733, 24.465650)
5. Preveli beach (35.152528, 24.473835)

When I was making a route to the south coast, I strongly doubted that this was feasible with Adele. There were too many places along the way where I wanted to look, and the path to Preveli beach itself, judging from Internet sources, was not easy - more than 400 steps! A powerful campaign was needed here! And in fact, she found herself. She liked the circle ... Therefore, we agreed with Adele that if this day passes without scandals and whining, then upon arrival in Agia Pelagia I will buy it for her.

So, after breakfast, we went to our favorite.

We swam there until 12, and then went to the Kurtaliotskoe gorge. And it was here that I regretted that I didn’t have a DVR, because the most impressive shots were while driving, when a solid wall of mountains hangs over an asphalt road to the right and left, and you sit in your small car and feel your insignificance .. "feel like an ant!" And at the very end of the path there is an observation deck, of course, if my companion were more accommodating, one could return and walk on foot, but alas, I had to be content with looking back.

I did not have the courage to come closer to the edge, so the photo is from afar. In the meantime, Adele and I were enjoying the harsh view of the mountains in the very heat, another car parked behind our car, the door of which opened and music was heard, like in the movie "The Lord of the Rings" ... and then I felt right in a fairy tale!
A little further there is an arch through which you can go down into the gorge

Somewhere in the middle of the descent there is a fork. We went to the left towards the church.

What we went down for is a waterfall:

I did not find any information in any review that you can swim in the waterfall. However, foreigners took the risk:

We, after standing a little and envying their courage, went back. Periodically resting in the shade on the steps. Our next stop is Burdzuku Bridge. Adele only liked ducks.

Then it was planned to go to the Preveli Monastery, but the child began to resent the heat, so I decided that it was time to cool off and went straight to the beach of the same name. And we looked at the monasteries through the window, and at both, because the navigator treacherously died and we just had to go forward. The road serpentine rests on the upper monastery (coordinates 35.157333, 24.456867), we successfully missed the turn, we had to turn around.
There is parking near the beach. The price is 2 euros. And then a lot of stone steps ... in the heat it's not very comfortable to go down them

Somewhere in the middle of the way, we met Russians who, looking with horror at my 5-year-old daughter, reproachfully told me:
- Where are you going?!
- Down!
On the way to the beach there was a wonderful view.

And when we descended, bliss awaited us... warm emerald-colored water... and insanely burning sand!
I can not say that the beach caused delight. Lots of rubbish and rocks. I liked only the area next to the stone in the form of a heart.

River in the middle of the beach

Holy Stauropegial Patriarchal Monastery of Preveli located 33 km from the city of Rethymno, in the south of Crete. Preveli Monastery is very revered throughout Crete for its rich past and the active participation of the monks in the national liberation struggle. The peculiarity of the holy monastery is that it consists of two parts: Lower Monastery of Kato Preveli in honor of John the Baptist and Upper Monastery of Piso Preveli in honor of John the Theologian and the Annunciation.

Story

The exact date of the start of the construction of the Monastery of Preveli is not known. But there is confirmed information that the holy monastery was formed in the premises of the Lower Monastery (Κάτω - translated from Greek. Lower) in the Second Byzantine period at the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th century, when large and small monasteries appeared on the southern coast of Crete .

The earliest known date that is associated with the Monastery is 1594 - these are the numbers stamped on the monastery bell. And the first mention, even before 1700, was on a bronze seal: "on Megalo Potamos of the island of Crete."

Μεγάλο ποταμός – transl. from Greek Big River

There are many legends about the origin of the name of the holy monastery. And one of them is this: that a certain monk from a large family living in Rethymnon was engaged in restoration work in the Monastery. And the surname of the monk was - Prevelis, that's why they called the holy monastery - Preveli Monastery.

During various periods of the history of Crete, during the great revolutions, the Monastery of Preveli was at the center of the liberation struggle, for which it was repeatedly destroyed by the Turks. One of the legendary and heroic personalities of that time was hegumen Melchizedek Tsouderos (from 1769 to 1823), who took part in many battles with the Ottomans and was mortally wounded on February 5, 1823 in Polemarchi while trying to recapture the Kissamos Tower captured by the Turks.

After Tsuderos, he was the abbot of the Monastery of Preveli from 1823 to 1862. was Nilos Moskhovitis, who built a new cathedral and two elaborately decorated bridges over the river Megalo Potamos and its tributary Bourdzukos.

The old school at the Monastery and the famous school of the Holy Spirit in a small monastery of the same name (Monastery of the Holy Spirit) were also reorganized. Other abbots and monks also played an important role in the life of the Monastery: Bishop Lambis Nikodimos (from 1831 to 1845), Agathangelos Papavasilios (from 1864 to 1871), Kallinikos Spitadakis (from 1872 to 1892) and Agafangelos Lagouvardos (from 1936 to 1944).

During the Second World War, the Monastery of Preveli continued to fulfill its historical purpose, and after the occupation of Crete by the Germans, it actively received wounded soldiers and saved Greeks, Australians, New Zealanders, and the British from captivity. More than 5,000 people found refuge in the Monastery, and received shelter and food. For this, on August 25, 1941, the Nazis destroyed the Monastery of Preveli, and the monks were exiled to the prisons of Chania. But already at the end of 1943, the holy monastery was ready for work on its restoration.

Architecture

The monastery consists of two building complexes: the Lower Monastery of Kato Preveli in honor of John the Baptist and the Upper Monastery of Piso Preveli in honor of John the Theologian and the Annunciation.

The Lower Monastery of Kato Preveli is located next to the Megalo Potamos River. It is a disordered complex of buildings located on different levels. The single-nave Cathedral is located in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by many buildings: a dining room, a kitchen, a abbot's room, cells, workshops, an oil mill, warehouses, etc. Most of the time, depending on the agricultural work being carried out at the moment, the newly arrived monks lived here with workers and farmers.

The monastery of Kato Preveli was plundered and destroyed several times by various conquerors of Crete. Today, the ancient buildings of the holy monastery that have been preserved here have been left to show posterity the huge contribution made by the Monastery to history and the local community.

Images of the Cathedral, the work of the icon painter Mercurios from the island of Santorini (1841), as well as ancient monastic utensils, were transferred to the church museum at the Upper Monastery of Piso Preveli.

The Upper Monastery of Piso Preveli John the Baptist, together with the residence of the abbot, is located about three kilometers from Kato Preveli on a mountain slope overlooking the Libyan coast.

The complex of buildings of the Monastery was built haphazardly in the form of the letter "P". It includes: the abbot's, dining room, bakery, sacristy, library, cheese factory, cells, cemetery and other monastic premises.

In the center of the courtyard there is a new two-nave Cathedral, built on the site of the old one, destroyed by the Turks in 1835. The right aisle is dedicated to St. John the Theologian, and the left aisle is dedicated to the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. The interior decoration of the temple is made with great attention to detail, the carved wooden iconostasis looks especially beautiful.

Nowadays, in the Monastery of Preveli, work is underway to restore and restore its buildings and premises, which have fallen into disrepair over time.

Museum

The monastery museum contains about 100 rare ancient icons that once adorned the cathedrals and chapels of the Upper and Lower Preveli Monasteries. The images are dated from 1600 to 1900. Among them there are icons of St. George, the Theologian, All Saints, St. Onufry, the prophet Isaiah, Melchizedek and Abraham, etc.

The style in which the icons are painted belongs to the late Cretan School, which equally combines strict Orthodox canons and the influence of the West, namely the Flemish teachers of the first half of the 17th century in Rethymnon and Chania.

A large number of vestments, sacred vessels, the Gospel and silver items, as well as the relics of the Holy Monastery are stored here.

The monastery library contains thousands of volumes, among which there are early printed church books, as well as old manuscripts, Byzantine hymns, etc.

The museum has an exhibition dedicated to the Battle of Crete. Exhibits for her were sent by the Greek community from the city of Perth in Western Australia.

Holy Miraculous Cross

The holy miracle-working Cross in the Monastery, a gift from Rector Preveli Ephraim (from 1769 to 1803), contains at its base most of the Cross of the Lord and, according to legend, was brought from Constantinople. For centuries, he protects the life of the Monastery and its novices. Countless healings from various ailments and miraculous stories are associated with the Holy Cross in Preveli.

In August 1823, after the ill-fated battle in Amurgeles (Heraklion region), the Holy Cross fell into the hands of the Turks. They sold it to the Genoese. When, in November of the same year, the Genoese with the Cross on the ship sailed into the sea near the Monastery, the ship, despite the strong wind blowing the sails, stopped abruptly. The ship moved only after 3 days, when the Holy Cross was returned to the Monastery of Preveli.

During the German occupation of Crete, on August 28, 1941, the Nazis captured the monks and plundered the Monastery, taking away the Holy Cross as well. The relic returned to the holy monastery on September 13 in a miraculous way, when the plane with the Cross on board, flying from the Maleme airfield to Germany, could not take off. The Germans had to hand over the Holy Cross to the police station in Chania in order to return it to the monks.

Location

The vast area around the Upper Monastery of Piso Preveli is bordered by low rocky mountains that are an extension of the White Mountains. The enclosed area in which the shrine is located is connected to the rest of the Prefecture of Rethymnon and the region of Sfakia by difficult gorges that cover a group of villages. These villages form the municipality of Finikas.

The main road leading to the Monastery lies along the deep gorge of Kourtaliotiko. According to legend, the gorge got its name because of the rumble produced by the north wind between high rocks.

Τα κούρταλα - transl. from Greek Applause

At the bottom of the gorge flows the Kourtaliotis River, which joins with other streams in the area to form the Megalo Potamos River. Most of the springs are located approximately in the middle of the gorge, in the area of ​​the church of St. Nicholas. In spring, when the snow melts in the mountains, you can see real waterfalls here.

Waterfalls in the Kourtaliotiko gorge

The Megalo Potamos River ends in a place of unique beauty - Limni Preveli, and then flows into the Libyan Sea.

Λίμνη - transl. from Greek Lake

An incredible number of churches, temples, monasteries, chapels. I got the impression that they are generally at every turn. Big, small, modest, majestic... Recalling my trips around the island, I can say that even in the smallest village for a couple of houses there will definitely be some building of a religious nature. There are a lot of places with a rich and ancient history, legends are associated with many places. Preveli Monastery is one of those places worth visiting for several reasons.

Two monasteries, one name

In fact, Preveli is two monasteries, two complexes of buildings located at a distance of about 3 km from each other. They are located in the southernmost part of Rethymnon - 32-33 km from Rethymnon.

Lower Monastery - dedicated to John the Baptist. Now it has been turned into a museum. Ancient buildings on the territory of Kato Preveli are located without any architectural plan at different levels.

But how calm and comfortable it is. Low buildings, stone roads, earthenware flowerpots and pots, flowers and greenery... Silence and peace... It's as if you are in some other dimension or time. Here the walls do not press, but as if hugging you, protecting you from all possible anxieties and problems.

There is a small museum on the territory of the complex. Mostly icons of the beginning of the 20th century are presented. There are a couple of weapons. And this is not surprising. The monks of the monastery (both lower and upper) at different times took an active part in the fight against invaders, Turks, Germans ... A little higher - on the road to Piso Preveli - there was something like a small memorial with statues of armed monks. Kato Preveli was repeatedly looted and destroyed, but each time it was restored.

The upper monastery is dedicated to John the Theologian. It is active, and there are much more visitors there. This is due to the fact that the Miraculous Cross of the Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monastery of St. John the Theologian Preveli is kept in the monastery. It is believed that the base of this Cross contains a part of the Cross of the Lord, brought from Constantinople (the second part, according to legend, is in Georgia, sent at one time as a gift to Queen Tamara).

Numerous miraculous healings are associated with this Cross; the invaders unsuccessfully tried to take it out of Crete several times. Very briefly: in August 1823, the Cross fell into the hands of the Turks, who sold it to the Genoese. When they tried to sail from the island in November, their ship stood in front of the Preveli Monastery and, despite a fair wind, stood there for three days. When the Genoese went to the monastery to replenish supplies, the monks told them about their loss. The cross was returned, after which the Genoese calmly sailed away.

Another incident occurred in 1941 during the German occupation. The monastery was once again plundered, the Cross was removed from its territory. The Germans tried to take him away from Crete in three different planes, but they did not take off. Then the Cross was transferred to the prefecture in Chania, and after that it was returned back to the Monastery.

Now no one hides this Cross, does not close it from visitors, as it would be with us. He stands in the Cathedral in a glass (and, as far as I remember, unclosed) chest, the rector himself leads to him without any requests, takes out, gives him a kiss, asks for names and reads a short prayer. And, of course, it's all free. There is a donation box at the entrance, donations are voluntary.

Piso Preveli is located on several levels, offering a gorgeous view of the Libyan Sea. On the territory, in addition to various religious and household buildings, there is a small corral where deer and peacocks live. In a small courtyard, or rather a patio, there is a holy spring.

There is also a museum on the territory of the monastery. At one time, some of the utensils from Kato Preveli were transported to it. There are many ancient icons of the XVII-XX centuries, all kinds of sacred vessels, church vestments. All this impresses with the subtlety and elegance of work and, of course, with its antiquity.

Road

Preveli Monastery can be reached both by bus and by car. The road is a completely separate issue. Firstly, this is a high-quality roadbed (yes ... about sore points), and secondly, unforgettable views. Crete is beautiful in any part of it, but some parts are doubly beautiful. What is one gorge Kourtaliotiko, simply breathtaking.

From Rethymno to Preveli can be reached in about an hour by car, but the road will not seem like just a road. It will be a nice sightseeing tour. Especially it will appeal to those who are in love with the mountains.

Also on the way to the monastery there are two stone bridges that deserve attention, and below the monastery of Piso Preveli are the famous Preveli palm grove and palm beach. Unfortunately, we did not get to the last ones, but after all, life does not end today.

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