Gouverneto monastery
Gouverneto Monastery is a fortified monastery on the northern side of Cape Akrotiri, 19 km east of Chania, close to the Agia Triada Tzagarolon monastery. The monastery is also written Gderneto. Signs from Agia Triada lead the whole way up to it, and that is the route drivers use.
Gouverneto stands on a rocky site at 260 m altitude, near the entrance of the Avlaki gorge. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Crete and the starting point for the walk down to Katholiko and the sea.
A monastery built as a fortress
Gouverneto was built to fortress plan, with four towers and bastions guarding its corners. An inscription at the fortress entrance shows it already stood before 1537.
Hermits and monks from the seaside Katholiko Monastery are thought to have founded it. They may have raised the new monastery on top of an existing ancient temple, and the fortified design was a response to pirate attacks on this coast.
The church and the Lady of the Angels
The monastery is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is also known as Kyria ton Agelon, the Lady of the Angels. Its church has a cruciform plan with a dome, and relief carvings of monsters run around the entrance.
Construction began in the Venetian era and finished 2.5 centuries later. The delay came from the Turkish invasion of Crete and the ban on building Christian temples that followed it.
What is inside the complex
The church sits in the centre of the courtyard, with the rest of the buildings arranged around it. The complex holds 50 monk cells on two floors, a dining room and a small museum.
Two chapels stand next to the church. One is dedicated to Agii Deka, the Saints Ten, and the other to Saint John the Hermit.
The walk down to Katholiko and the sea
A stone-paved trail drops from the monastery through the gorge to the sea. Saint John the Hermit, who lived in a cave in the Avlaki gorge below, is considered the founder of Gouverneto, and the walk follows the ground he used.
- Descend for 20 minutes to reach the Arkoudospilio cave, the first stop on the trail.
- Continue past the ruined Katholiko Monastery, 0.8 km from Gouverneto, and the cavernous church of Saint John where the hermit lived.
- Walk on for another 10 minutes to the end of the Avlaki gorge, a narrow rocky fjord with green water.
- Stop at Katholiko Bay, 1.2 km from the monastery, if you want a swim at the bottom.
Visiting hours and dress code
Gouverneto opens to visitors on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 to 12:00 and 17:00 to 19:00, and at weekends from 9:00 to 11:00 and 17:00 to 20:00. Dress appropriately, because shorts, swimwear and similar clothing are not permitted.
What to see near Gouverneto Monastery
Akrotiri holds two more monasteries and several of the quieter beaches near Chania, all within a short drive of Gouverneto. These are the places we cover closest to it, nearest first.
- Avlaki Gorge lies 0.8 km away, the short hike to Katholiko Bay.
- Katholiko Monastery lies 0.8 km away, the ruined monastery in that gorge.
- Katholiko Bay Beach lies 1.2 km away, at the foot of the walk.
- Agia Triada Tzagarolon lies 2.7 km away, the monastery the signs start from.
- Stavros beach lies 4.2 km away.
- Kalathas beach lies 5.9 km away.
- Maherida beach lies 5.9 km away, a secluded white sand cove on Akrotiri.
- Seitan Limania beach lies 6.0 km away.
- The monastery of Saint John Baptist lies 9.0 km away, at Korakies.
- Marathi beach lies 9.4 km away.
- Loutraki beach lies 9.7 km away.
- Souda lies 12.3 km away.
- Koum Kapi beach lies 12.6 km away, the cafe and bar waterfront of the Chania old town.
- The archaeological site of Aptera lies 13.1 km away.
- The ruins of Minoan Kydonia lie 13.3 km away.
- Chania is 19 km west by road, the nearest city.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Gouverneto Monastery?
Gouverneto Monastery stands on the northern side of Cape Akrotiri, 19 km east of Chania. It sits at 260 m altitude near the entrance of the Avlaki gorge, close to the Agia Triada Tzagarolon monastery, and the signs from Agia Triada lead to it.
When is Gouverneto Monastery open?
The monastery opens on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 to 12:00 and 17:00 to 19:00, and at weekends from 9:00 to 11:00 and 17:00 to 20:00. Shorts, swimwear and similar clothing are not permitted inside.
How old is Gouverneto Monastery?
An inscription at the fortress entrance shows the monastery was built before 1537, which makes it one of the oldest in Crete. Construction of the church began in the Venetian era and was completed 2.5 centuries later, held up by the Turkish invasion and the ban on building Christian temples.
How long is the walk from Gouverneto to Katholiko?
The stone-paved descent reaches the Arkoudospilio cave in 20 minutes, with Katholiko Monastery just beyond it. Another 10 minutes of walking ends the gorge at a narrow rocky fjord with green water. Katholiko lies 0.8 km from Gouverneto and the bay at the bottom 1.2 km.
Who founded Gouverneto Monastery?
Saint John the Hermit is considered the founder. He lived in a cave in the Avlaki gorge below the monastery. Hermits and monks from the seaside Katholiko Monastery are thought to have built Gouverneto itself, possibly over an ancient temple, to protect themselves from pirate attacks.
What is Gouverneto Monastery dedicated to?
The monastery is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is also called Kyria ton Agelon, the Lady of the Angels. Two chapels stand beside the church, one for Agii Deka, the Saints Ten, and one for Saint John the Hermit.
Location
Gouverneto monastery is located at Gouverneto monastery, in the Chania region of Crete. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
