Located 37 km south of Rethymnon, in a beautiful natural location on the western slopes of the Great River-MegalosPotamos (Kourtaliotiko Gorge) and the palm forest of the lake. It includes two separate monasteries 2 km apart: the Lower Monastery of Prodromos-Kato Moni of Prodromos, which is abandoned, and the Monastery “Piso Monastery of Theologos”, which is functioning and can be visited. Smaller sub-monasteries are scattered in the area.

the exact date of the building of the Prevelis Monastery is not known, but there are indications of the existence of a church as early as the 13th century. According to tradition, the name of the monastery, which was established after the 17th century, comes from a resident of the village of Preveliana in Heraklion, who fled to the area after the murder of a janissary. But perhaps it was also the name of a renovator of the monastery.

The Prevelis Monastery has associated its name with the participation of its monks in the liberation struggles of Crete, a fact that it paid dearly with disasters. During the Revolution of 1821, the abbot of the monastery was Melchizedek Tsouderos. Melchizedek organized a revolutionary army and collected weaponry. The Ottomans became aware of his movements and moved on the Kato Monastery-Moni, in May 1821. Melchizedek hosted them and offered them food and wine. When the Turks fell asleep, the monks fled, taking their ammunition with them. The Turks then destroyed the monastery and confiscated its property. The estates were given back to the monastery during the period of Egyptian domination (1830-1840). During the Cretan Revolution (1866-69), the monastery hosted and cared for refugees fleeing to Greece.

In the central precinct of the Piso Monastery, the double-aisled church of St. John the Theologian-Agios IoannisTheologos and the Annunciation dominates. To the west and south of this are the cells and the sanctuary. The church of the katholikon was built in the first half of the 19th century, replacing an older church. In the lower courtyard of the monastery is the fountain dated 1701 with the palindromic inscription “Nipsonanomemata me monan opsin-Wash your sins and not only your face”. West of the fountain is the church museum with relics of the monastery such as vestments, icons and utensils.

During World War II, the monastery hosted and helped the departure to the Middle East of hundreds of soldiers who had fought in the Battle of Crete and were stranded on the island. The monks, at the risk of their lives, offered them safe shelter, hiding them in the monastery and surrounding areas.

Tel: +30 28320 41444