The Monastery of Faneromeni of Aghios
Nicolaos is found on a low hill within the
archaeological site of the Minoan settlement of
Gournia. It is situated at a distance of 24
kilometers eastern to Aghios Nicolaos and 45
kilometers western to Sitia.
The Catholicon of the Monastery is built within
a cave and dedicated to Holy Virgin; people use
to call the monastery “Panaghia at Gournia”. The
establishment of the monastery is dated in the
second Byzantine period of Crete (961-1204). It
looks like a fortress because apart from its
religious role, it also served as refuge for
Christian people in various difficult occasions.
Owning a large land fortune, the Monastery had
often problems with the Ottoman landlords,
during the Ottoman occupation of the island.
During this period of time the Monastery had
established a school for the children of the
area around but also of the rest of the
prefecture; tradition states that it was here
that had studied Rodanthi “i Kritsotopoula”
("the Cretan girl”), a well-known fighter for
the freedom of Crete in the period of 1821.
Access from Aghios Nicolaos and Sitia is
possible by rented or private car and
motorbikes.