Kallergis Monastery near Kasteli

Located southeast of Smari village and approximately 35km east of Heraklion and 4km north of Kastelli, the Kallergis or Kaleris Monastery can be found amidst a landscape of wooded hills and mountainous terrain.

Constructed during the Venetian Era, this monastery is dedicated to St. John the Baptist and serves as a dependency of the Vidiani Monastery in the Lassithi Plateau. Believed to have been built on the remnants of an older monastery, the current structure is relatively new, with the ruins of the older monastery’s cells preserved in the nearby church of Prophet Elijah.

Presently, the “Friends of the Monastery Kalergis” Association is responsible for restoring the monastery. Both the main building and the refectory have been renovated. Outside the monastery complex, a newer two-aisled church dedicated to St. George and St. Spyridon can be found. Additionally, a chapel honoring the Cretan Martyrs (Cretans who died for their faith) is also present on the site.