Just before the village of Kritsa there is a sign on the right pointing to the famous church of the Panagia Kera. Park your car on the side of the road and walk in 20 metres.

This thirteenth century Byzantine church which is important because of its frescoes, has three aisles and a dome construction. Each aisle contains paintings from a different period, representing a different religious theme. The central aisle, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin, contains the oldest paintings which reflect a mixture of styles. The south aisle has the best-preserved paintings. In contrast to the more stylized paintings of the period, these paintings display a tenderness and humanity in their rendering of the story of Anna, the Virgin Mary's mother. The north aisle is dedicated to St. Anthony and has pictures representing the Second Coming.

Although the Venetians occupied Crete during the period, they allowed the Cretans to decorate their churches as they desired. The rare fresco techniques used and the subject matters make the Panagia Kera particularly interesting to visit.