⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗

Arsaniou Monastery

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Arsaniou monastery is located near Pagalochori village, 11km east of Rethymnon, in a location with panoramic views of the Cretan Sea. The church of the monastery is dedicated to Saint George and is a cruciform basilica with a dome. A museum and a conference center operate in the complex.

The name of the monastery is, probably, taken after a monk named Arsenios. According to another aspect, the name comes either from Arsinoe, a woman who devoted her fortune to build the monastery, or the Cape of Arsinoon.

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Timeline

16th century: The monk Arsenios founds the male monastery of Arsanios.
1600: Inauguration of the church of St. George (the oldest church).
1601: A manuscript refers to the monastery of Arsanios
1646: The Turks occupy Rethymnon and, probably, the monastery is deserted.
1655: The Bishop Neophytos Patelaros grants the monastery to the Patriarchate.
1740: The monastery is no longer managed by the Patriarch.
1778: The Patriarchate restores the stavropegic (patriarchal) status of Arsaniou.
1850: The stavropegic status is renewed.
1856: The cells of the monastery's collapse from a strong earthquake.
1866: The Turks destroy what they can from the monastery, due to the revolutionary activities of the monks.
1888: The new Church of St. George is built on the ruins of the old church.
1896: The Turks burn and plunder the monastery.
1897: The Turks kill the monk Gabriel Klados. They hang his head on a tree of Rethymnon town and practice on shooting!
1900: The monastery is declared as about to stop its operation.
1903: The monastery of Arsaniou is reconstituted.
1935: Arsaniou is declared preservable. It's granted the smaller monasteries of Agia Irini and Chalevi.
1941: During the Second World War, the Germans kill the abbot Damianos Kallergis for offering help to the guerrillas.
1970: The monastery gets renovated.
1988-90: The main temple is decorated with frescoes. The museum and the conference center are founded.