Monastery of Agia Triada Crete. A calm day - Agia Triada and Stavros beach. When is the best time to go

Story

The Monastery of the Holy Trinity played a huge role in the education and history of enlightenment in Crete. According to the legend, confirmed by documents from the Venetian archives, the holy monastery of Agia Triada was built by the brothers Jeremias and Lavrentios Zagarolos, who came from a large family of Venetians who settled in Crete. This family had great influence both on the indigenous Orthodox population of the island and on the Catholic Venetians.

Jeremias was a serious scholar, a friend of the great Patriarch of Alexandria, Meletias Pegasus. He carried out educational activities in the field of Greek and Latin culture, as evidenced by his numerous works, which are preserved in the buildings of the Monastery in both languages. Jeremias' deep knowledge of European architecture of the time is evident from the entire complex of monastic buildings designed and built by the 16th century architect Sebastian Serlio.

On the site of the current Monastery of the Holy Trinity, there was previously a small holy monastery, where the abbot was the monk Joachim Sofyanos. After the death of the abbot, the monastery fell into disrepair, and the Venetian authorities sent the monk Jeremias Dzagorolos there from the monastery of Agia Kiriaki. And in 1611, the reconstruction of the holy monastery began.

Jeremias began the restoration of the Monastery from the largest complex, and then after his death, around 1634, the reconstruction was continued by his brother Lavrentios. In 1645, Chania was captured by the Turks, and the repair work was interrupted during the construction phase of the base of the large dome.

During the years of Turkish occupation, the holy monastery was called Selvili Monastir (Monastery with cypresses) and, according to surviving documents, was in a difficult situation. In 1821, during the great Greek revolution, the monks fled the Monastery, not having time to hide the precious relics, which were either stolen or burned in a fire. After the revolution, the holy monastery was reconstructed and all construction work was completed. In those years, the Monastery expanded its possessions, and had lands even in Smyrna.

Σμύρνη (Smyrna) - in ancient times, Smyrna was a Greek city, and now it is the Turkish city of Izmir.

The Monastery of the Holy Trinity supported the Greek schools of Chania with its income, and since 1892, in the buildings of the eastern wing, opened the Theological Seminary.

This building was previously a church school.

Today, after numerous events that have befallen the Monastery, it continues to play an important role in the religious and economic life of the island of Crete. The monastic brotherhood fully provides the holy monastery in tandem with the Ministry of Culture and the Department of 28 Byzantine Antiquities of Chania.

The Device of the Monastery

The Monastery of the Holy Trinity is a quadrangular complex with a large church in the middle of a paved courtyard and, surrounding it, the cells of monks and pilgrims, as well as buildings for various purposes. Due to the fact that the Monastery was built on a slope, the problem of the unevenness of the site was solved by the construction of buildings of different heights.

The outer part of the holy cloister includes buildings for the production and storage of olive oil and wine, as well as a large underground reservoir for collecting rainwater from the surrounding buildings.

A majestic staircase leads to the entrance to the Monastery, climbing which we get to the main level of the holy monastery. The door frame of the main entrance, designed by the architect Sebastian Serlio, is made of local stone.

One of the arched entrances leads to the olive oil factory and wine cellar, and the other down the stairs to a water source with a drinking trough for animals. On the southern side of the western wing of the Monastery there is a large hall, and on the northern side is the old abbess's - now there is a library.

In the eastern part of the south wing there is a two-story cemetery complex, where on the first floor there is a crypt, and on the second floor there is the Church of Christ the Savior.

Church of Christ the Savior

Map of Holy Trinity Monastery

1. Main entrance
2. Cathedral
3. Church of Christ the Savior
4. Mother Superior
5. Crypt
6. old church school
7. Library
8. Monks' cells
9. Monastery Chancellery
10. Wine Vault
11. Old olive oil factory
12. Museum
13. Exhibition of products of the Monastery

Map of Holy Trinity Monastery taken from holytrinity.gr

Church of the Holy Trinity

The great church of the Holy Trinity, located in the center of the monastery complex, is built with three niches and a chapel topped with domes on the first and second floor. The temple is made in the traditional architectural style, but with some features of the Western architecture that prevailed in Crete at that time.

The domes of the church and chapels were built after 1830, when the Turks gave permission to complete the construction. The temple on the first floor of the chapel, the iconostasis, icons and general church decoration dating back to the middle of the 19th century have been preserved in their original form.

The carved gilded iconostasis is made according to the Cretan traditions of its time with baroque folk elements. Most of the icons were painted in the post-Byzantine style by the famous artist of that time, Mercurios, from the island of Santorini. The Temple of the Monastery of the Holy Trinity was one of the greatest examples of the Cretan Renaissance and a model for a number of monastery churches in the Chania area, a few years before the Turkish takeover.

Museum

The Monastery has a showroom, which displays a collection of photographs and other relics from the numerous historical events that took place in Crete. The most valuable of them are a manuscript dating from the 12th century, icons of St. John the Theologian (16th century), St. Nicholas (17th century), icons: the Ascension of Christ, the Life-Giving Spring and the Second Coming (1635 - 1645), the work of the famous artist from Chania, priest Emmanuel Skordilis.

The exposition of the museum presents elements of the vestments of clergy dating back to the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, as well as church utensils, silver crosses and silver vessels.

Reference Information:

1. Where is? Holy Trinity Monastery is located on the peninsula of Akrotiri, 16 km northeast of Chania.
2. Monastery coordinates: DD 35.560744, 24.135311. DMS 35°33"38.7"N 24°08"07.1"E. Stefanou beach (other names for the beach are Shaitan Limani or Rizoskloko) with azure waters and Stavros beach, where the world-famous film "Zorba the Greek" was filmed.

Monastery vineyards

When writing the article, information was used from the official website of the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Crete:

Room XIV. Showcase 171. Sarcophagus from Agia Triada

In the center of the hall, a famous stone sarcophagus from Agia Triada is exhibited, the painting on the sides of which depicts scenes of sacrifice and worship.

Sarcophagus from Agia Triada (Agia Triada)

This is one of the most famous and remarkable monuments of Minoan art. A tomb-shaped poros sarcophagus, completely covered with painted plaster, was found in a burial near a villa in Agia Triada. Since its rich decoration stands out among similar larnaks, it can be assumed that it belongs to a wealthy aristocrat. Dated 14th century. BC. The painting has been preserved in fragments and has been heavily restored. According to researchers (Matz, Andreev), the depicted scenes can be divided into two groups: real and mythological, and for contemporaries, obviously, these two spheres do not have a clear boundary and interact with each other.

Western side of the sarcophagus - scene of sacrifice

The fresco is divided into three parts. In the central one, on a white background, there is a table with a bound victim - a bull - and a man in a woman's attire standing behind the table, who plays the double flute. Two wild goats lay down under the table, to the right of them a sacrificial vessel with the collected bull's blood.

On the left, against a yellow background, a priestess lays hands on the victim, two women behind her are called to represent the procession. This fragment has not been restored.

To the right, on a black - night - background, another priestess in a sheepskin skirt makes a bloodless sacrifice on an altar in front of a sanctuary with double horns and a sacred tree. A jug of libations and a basket of fruit are shown nearby. The column behind the altar is crowned with a labrys - a ritual double ax, a symbol of a possible rebirth through death. A black bird sits on the ax - the embodiment of the soul of the deceased.

Spirals and rosettes of the decorative zone of the sarcophagus Eastern side of the sarcophagus - offering gifts to the deceased

From left to right:

The scene on a white background shows a priestess pouring the collected blood of a sacrificial bull from a vessel into a crater standing between two sacred axes. Birds are sitting on the labryses - the incarnations of the souls of the dead. Behind the priestess, another woman carries two vessels on a "yoke". A man in women's clothing accompanies the process by playing the seven-stringed lyre.

The central scene on a dark background - three men in sheepskin skirts carry funeral gifts: two calves and a model of a ship.

The third fragment on a white background - the deceased (possibly deified)) in a long (female) robe is present at the funeral sacrifice at his grave.

Geography

Agia Triada is located in the southern part of Crete, 30-40 meters above sea level. It is located 4 km from Phaistos, in the western part of the Mesara valley. Agia Triada does not have the palace complex typical of many cities in Minoan Crete. However, there was a very prosperous city here, and also, possibly, the villa of one of the lords of Crete. After the catastrophe that led to the death of the Minoan civilization (1450 BC), the city was rebuilt and remained inhabited until the 2nd century. BC e. . Later, during the Roman rule, a villa was built here. Nearby are two churches - the Holy Trinity and St. George, built in the Venetian period; abandoned village of Agia Triada, destroyed by the Turks in 1897.

Archeology

The first excavations in Agia Triada were carried out by the famous English archaeologist Arthur Evans from 1908 to 1908. A group of Italian specialists worked with Evans - Federico Halberr, Luigi Pernier, Luigi Savignoni, Roberto Paribeni. They found a clay sarcophagus, decorated with scenes of the so-called "meal of the dead" - a Minoan funeral rite.

Agia Triada includes a city and a miniature "palace"; the ancient drainage system associated with them; as well as early Minoan tombs - tholos. The settlement was used, for various purposes, from the First Early Minoan to the end of the First Late Minoan period.

The excavations at Agia Triada have unearthed the largest number of Linear A tablets of any other archaeological expedition in Crete. Other important finds include the "King's Cup", the "Vase with Boxers" and the "Vase with Reapers". Found in Agia Triada, the famous clay sargophagus is currently in the archaeological museum of Heraklion.

Links

Literature

• Swindale, Ian http://www.uk.digiserve.com/mentor/minoan/agtriada.htm Retrieved 20 January

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .

See what "Agia Triada" is in other dictionaries:

Agia Triada- (Hagia Triada), a Minoan palace in southern Crete 2 miles (3.22 km) west of Phaistos. Apparently replaced the latter as a royal residence in 1600 BC. and existed for two centuries of the late Minoan I period. Small town… Archaeological Dictionary

Agia Triada- one of the residences of the Cretan kings near Phaistos, to the south. coast of Crete. Save ruins of the Minoan palace, that is. wall fragments. frescoes. The palace was built in the 1st floor. 16th century BC, destroyed at the same time. with Knossos... Ancient world. encyclopedic Dictionary

Agia Triada- (New Greek Hagia Triada the holy trinity), one of the residences of the Cretan kings near Festus, to the south. coast of Crete. The ruins of the Minoan palace, significant fragments of wall frescoes have been preserved. The palace was built in the 1st floor. 16th century BC er,… … Dictionary of antiquity

This term has other meanings, see Fest. The palace complex in Festa Fest, (Greek ... Wikipedia

It existed in the II millennium BC, with its center on the island of Crete. The first great civilization on European soil, the forerunner of the culture of ancient Greece. Crete is located in the Mediterranean Sea, 100 km south of mainland Greece. It is narrow, ... ... Collier Encyclopedia

The peninsula of Akrotiri is small, so the trip through it is not tiring and calm. However, here you can see many interesting places. About some of them in this route!

We will drive along the peninsula counterclockwise. It should be noted right away that military bases are located on some places on the peninsula, so it is not possible to drive everywhere and, for sure, some interesting places have become inaccessible. However, we are moving forward. And the first point of our trip is the most unusual beach of the peninsula.

Devil's Harbor or Rizoskloko

Rizoskloko beach has a huge number of names in all languages ​​and is a very popular tourist destination. This is mainly due to easy, relatively easy, of course, car accessibility, as well as the location relative to Chania, only about 20 kilometers away. A few kilometers from the harbor begins a rather steep, and I would even say a dangerous descent. An insecure driver will drive very, very slowly ... Read about how to get to the bay.

But at the same time, the road to the bay is stunningly beautiful! And downstairs is the parking lot.

There are a decent amount of cars for such a small beach. And this is far from the limit. Of course, you need to understand that, despite the difficulties with the descent, there are a lot of tourists in the bay, especially during the season. Going down to the parking lot, you will see the most amazing view!

The bay is surrounded by high mountains, which generally do not interfere with strong winds blowing from the sea.

The descent to the water in this place is quite steep, so it will take quite a long time. Of course, far from the same as in or, but also significant. And then you have to climb up.

Not the easiest path.

Rizoskloko beach is small but sandy. From my point of view, the place is very beautiful, but being on the beach with a large number of people somehow ... It is better to go to more secluded places or to more serious beaches. For example, on the same day we will visit the second beach of Stavros. Perfect place.

An interesting pebble in the end.

In general, Rizoskloko beach is a very beautiful place with wonderful views, I advise you to definitely visit it, but the descent and swimming is up to you. Are we going further?

Monastery of Agia Triada Tsagarolon

Our journey at some point had to move from the east to the west coast of the island. Having rolled a lot and having seen enough of the oriental beauties of the previous week, we moved to Chania and decided to give ourselves a little rest. Therefore, the next day we went to inspect only the most iconic monastery in the western part of Crete -.

The monastery was founded in the 17th century, that is, much younger than its brothers, however, it is one of the central religious attractions of Crete. He also suffered significantly from the invasion of the Turks, but he managed to recover himself, and restore his former wealth and collection of books.

Approaching the monastery, you immediately find yourself in front of the tower of the monastery. Like, Agia Trada is protected by high and strong walls.

Upon entering the monastery, you will enter the courtyard. The architects of the monastery did their best to make the monastery look original and individual. On the sides of the courtyard there are paths over which arches are thrown.

In general, the abundance of arches immediately catches the eye in the monastery. They serve as both decoration and aisles.

Like any active monastery or popular attraction, Agia Triada is lovingly decorated with greenery and flowers. In general, as you have noticed, the Greeks are very fond of decorating monasteries with plants. This gives life to the stone walls of the monasteries.

A stone staircase leads up to the wall from the courtyard.

From where you have a view of the monastery church and the courtyard.

The monastery and church were built, like many other monasteries and churches in Crete, in the Byzantine style.

In Agia Triada, one of the few monasteries, there is a museum that exhibits rare exhibits collected during the existence of the monastery.

The monastery of Agia Triada is quite large and beautiful, you can devote a lot of time to it, walking around the courtyard and the museum. We stayed there for about an hour and a half.

Monastery of Gouverneto

Leaving the monastery, we decided to visit another monastery on the peninsula that day - this. Arriving at the place, we got to the closed gate. Having found the gate, we went along the path deep into the garden. After a while we saw the monastery itself, but everything was closed everywhere, and there was not a single soul around. We passed through the garden of the monastery and came out on the other side. This is the view of the monastery that opened up to us. Unfortunately, we could not see either the courtyard or the church, which is made in the shape of a cross.

In front of the monastery from the sea there is a platform with a monument.

And there is a staircase leading somewhere down.

To be honest, we were very tired from the previous days and simply forgot that, following this road, we would get to another attraction - the monastery Catholico. We remembered this only in the evening.

Stavros beach

Not salty slurping, we went to. When we arrived there, we decided to immediately return home, because there were a huge number of people on this beach. We didn't even get out of the car, so I can only show you this beach on the map. However, we noticed that the beach is sandy and the entrance to the sea is shallow and gentle, so there were a large number of children on it.

Even now you can see how many cars are parked there. But I had one more place written down. Literally next to this beach, which also bore the name - Stavros beach. We went there and did not lose. There were far fewer people on it. The entrance, however, was much worse, but it was not a problem.

And on this beach, we saw how the sea creates unique patterns in the stones with its surf. We have never seen this before!

On this beach we had a great swim and rest. In general, this day was somewhat blurred due to the closed monastery and our forgetfulness, but on any trip there should be days of rest, since the distances on the Akrotiri peninsula allow you to get from Chania to any place in no more than half an hour.

Agia Triada Beach is one of the most beloved beaches in a quiet resort village. Thessaloniki is a little further north. The water at the beach turns from blue to gold at sunset, and the sky sends out reflections of red and yellow. There are many beautiful resort places nearby, but here is the softest sand and blue water, for which Agia Triada was awarded the Blue Flag.

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Description of the beach

Those who seek to escape from the eternal hustle and bustle of the big city rest here. From the beach, a magnificent panorama of the sea bay opens up to the eye. On the other hand, a cape covered with forest pleases the eye. The streets of the village are full of flowers. Mostly fishermen live here. In the center stands a small church of the Holy Trinity.

The beach is busy and not so busy. Anyone who wants to retire will find a cozy corner. Shops and taverns that offer their services along the kilometer-long coast provide vacationers with the accessories they need: umbrellas, sun loungers.

Near the shore you can not only sunbathe and swim, but also take a walk. In the evening, when the heat subsides, some dare to walk along the sand (in the absence of an organized road) to the neighboring Nei Epivates. You can go scuba diving or snorkelling.

A few coastal taverns and bars delight with the absence of high prices and soft music. The water in the sea is clear, the depth does not begin immediately, so family groups do not have to worry about their kids.

Agia Triada Beach is provided with everything you need, there is:

1. Showers and dressing areas.
2. Umbrellas, deck chairs.
3. Lots of places to grab a bite to eat or have lunch.
4. Camping sites.

The beach captivates with its convenient location, safe and comfortable sea.

When is the best time to go?

Greece is a country with a long north-south stretch, so recommendations will vary depending on where you're heading. The holiday season begins in May and peaks in July-August: there are too many tourists, and the temperature on the southern islands reaches 40 degrees, which may not yet play a role on the beach, but certainly not suitable for sightseeing. So the best time to relax in Greece is the end of spring-beginning of summer or September-October.

Infrastructure

There are no difficulties with accommodation for tourists, there are a lot of them around the beach. The apartments, 3 *, have a convenient location relative to the sea, infrastructure and transport. There is a lot of greenery around the hotel, the decor in the rooms and the view from the balcony are just amazing. The path to the beach is only 200 meters, shops and restaurants are also within walking distance.

Bus stop, from where to Thessaloniki 15 minutes drive - in front of the hotel. From there you can also go to the nearest shopping center, to the airport or to the amusement park.

You don’t have to worry about food in Agia Triada, from the numerous establishments there is always something that you like. All tourists admire the fish cuisine.

For shopping or for souvenirs, it is better to go to Thessaloniki. If you are lucky to visit there in July-August or January-February, the purchase of international trademarks will cost up to 80% cheaper. High quality in Greek-made knitwear, shoes of local brands. The bustling market sells everything from fruits to octopuses and beach pareos. The most sold souvenirs are products made of ceramics, bronze, and copper. A washcloth made from natural raw materials or olive cosmetics will be a good gift. Of the gastronomic purchases, the most useful will be olive oil, honey, local sweets, the famous Metaxa, Rakia.