25/01/2008
GRAMMENOHORIA / CHRISTIAN MONUMENTS

Under Construction

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St. Nicholaos of Grammeno
On the western side of the Grammeno village, at the graveyard, St. Nicholaos Church is the area of the congregation of the old monastery of the same name. A single isle basilica with a crossed roof, with a pronaos, a main church and a Pulpit, it was renovated, according to the inscription of the commissioner of the building (over the exit of the main church towards the narthex) in 1805. Its hagiographies are in good condition. They are the works of Anastasios Anagnostos of Kapesovo. The two stone built wells, in front of the gate, with well hewn stones at the top of the well are an exceptional sample of the local architecture.
*architecture, church, hagiography


Lambovitrias Church
Dedicated to the Birth of the Virgin the Church of the Virgin Lambovitria, is an elegant basilica with a pronaos, a main church and a Pulpit. In its interior, the well-preserved hagiographies covering all the surfaces are admirable. It celebrates with a fete on 8 September.
*architecture, church, oak wood, hagiography, fete

Topolianis or Kovilianis Monastery (Polylofo)
In the Topoliani location (from topolia which means area with poplar-trees), a wooded hill east of Polylofo (Koviliani), is a well-looked after single isle basilica made of well-hewn stone and with dimensions 12.5 length, 5.2 width and 4.80 maximum height. Above the western entrance is a worn representation of the Assumption of the Virgin and carved on a black plaque is the date of the foundation of the monastery (=7118) from the time of the creation of the world, in other words 1610 AD. The hagiography of the church is the work of two teams and has suffered extensive damage due to the collapsing of the roof in the time of the Occupation (1941-1944).
The old monastery was burned down, except for the area of the congregation, in 1821 in the battle of Koviliani between the men of Souli and the army of the Sultan. In the mid 18th century, the monks abandoned the monastery, unable to endure the constant raids of Ottoman forces and built the Lykostani monastery, maintaining Topliani as their dependency. It celebrates on 15 August.
*architecture, monastery, church, hagiography, history



Saint John the Baptist Church in Polylofo
An inscribed cross shaped church with a dome, it stands apart for its two well built arched galleries on the southern and western sides. It bears the inscription of the commissioner of the building, on the northwestern side, dated 1604. It is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and was decorated by Georgios and Dimitrios in 1672. It is one of the most important monuments of the region.
*architecture, church, hagiography


Taxiarhon Church in Grammeno
A three isle basilica of the 19th century with a woodcut iconostasis and two icons that were sent from Moscow by the Zosima family. The Mellousa Krisi, painted by Theodoros Poulakis is an excellent example of Cretan art .
*architecture, church, hagiography

The St. George church at Vageniti (17th century) and of the Assumption of the Virgin at Lyggos (18th century) have been designated listed monuments.