Agii Antonios and Thomas Church, Moni Vrondisi
The monastery overlooks the plain of Mesara and the Libyan Sea on one side while the peaks of Psiloritis dominate the other side. It is a two-aisled church, and Saint Anthony and Saint Thomas are its patron saints. The bell tower has an independent entrance and is composed of four arches. The earliest written reference to the monastery is dated 1474. However, the monastery is older than that and it may have been in existence since the second Byzantine era.
During Venetian rule, the monastery included notable painters and scholars in its community. Michalis Damaskinos, a famed painter of religious works, painted six of his best icons while at Vrondisi. His works combined elements of Byzantine and Renaissance art. These icons are now in the Museum of Agia Ekaterini in Iraklion.
As with many monasteries on Crete, Vrondisi played an important role during the various struggles of the Cretan population. It was the headquarters of Captain Michalis Korakas during the revolutions against the Turks in 1866 and 1878. The monastery and its community received sharp reprisals as a result of this revolutionary activity.
Photos of Vrondisi Monastery in Moni Vrondisiou:
Agii Antonios and Thomas Church of the Vrondisi Monastery
Agii Antonios and Thomas Church of the Vrondisi Monastery
Decorative details of Agii Antonios and Thomas Church, Moni Vrondisi
The Vrondisi Monastery
The Vrondisi Monastery
Agii Antonios and Thomas Church, Moni Vrondisi
Visit the area of the sight: Vrondisi Monastery
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