Kera Kardiotissa Monastery
Kera Kardiotissa Monastery stands 50 km southeast of Heraklion, in a forested part of the North Dikti range, directly beside the road up to the Lassithi Plateau. Kera Kardiotissa has given its name to the settlements of Kera and Ano Kera next to it, and it works today as a convent.
The monastery is on the way to the plateau rather than off it, which is why most visitors stop here as part of a Lassithi day. The stone-built church, its weathered 14th-century frescoes and the story of the stolen icon are what there is to see.
The icon that gave the monastery its name
Kera means Our Lady, and the monastery takes its name from a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary. San Lazaro painted that icon in the 9th century, and it shows Panagia cradling Jesus. The founding of the monastery is believed to be linked to the icon itself, since the exact date of the monastery’s foundation has never been determined.
The icon has travelled twice. Tradition holds that it was taken to Constantinople during the iconoclastic era and returned miraculously. In the Venetian era a wine merchant stole it and carried it to Rome, where it is housed in the Church of San Alfonso to this day. A replacement icon was brought to Kera in 1735, and that one is also held to be miraculous.
The church and its frescoes
The stone-built church is dedicated to the Nativity of Mary, celebrated on 8 September. It reached its present form in four stages: it began as a single-aisled temple, and two rooms and a smaller chapel were added later. Frescoes from the 14th century survive inside, though they have weathered heavily over the centuries.
Kera in the Cretan uprisings
Kera Kardiotissa served as a revolutionary centre for the local province during the Cretan uprisings. Its strategic location is what gave it that role, and it endured numerous Turkish attacks as a result.
Getting to Kera Kardiotissa Monastery
Drive the Lassithi Plateau road from the north coast and the monastery appears beside it, 50 km southeast of Heraklion. The village of Krassi lies 1.2 km away and the windmills at Seli Ambelou stand 2.3 km further on.
What else is nearby
The Lassithi Plateau sits above the monastery and the Malia coast below it, with most of both within about 8 km. The places below are listed by distance from Kera.
- Embasa Gorge starts 800 m from the monastery and Roza Gorge 1.1 km.
- Krassi village lies 1.2 km away.
- The windmills at Seli Ambelou stand 2.3 km from Kera.
- Vidiani Monastery is 3.8 km away, on the Lassithi Plateau.
- Sfendyli village sits 5.1 km from Kera.
- Malia is 6.5 km down on the coast, and our guide to things to do in Malia covers the resort.
- The Cave of Zeus, also called the Dikteon or Psychro cave, lies 6.7 km away.
- Askoi village is 6.9 km out.
- The Lasinthos Eco Park sits 7.4 km from the monastery.
- Malia beach lies 7.7 km away, with Stalis beach at 8 km and Potamos beach at 8.1 km.
- Ancient Lyktos is 7.8 km out and the Minoan palace of Malia 8.2 km.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kera Kardiotissa Monastery?
Kera Kardiotissa stands 50 km southeast of Heraklion, in the forested North Dikti range beside the road to the Lassithi Plateau. The settlements of Kera and Ano Kera take their name from it.
Where is the original icon of Kera Kardiotissa?
The original icon is in the Church of San Alfonso in Rome. A wine merchant stole it during the Venetian era and took it there, and a replacement icon was brought to the monastery in 1735.
What does the name Kera mean?
Kera means Our Lady. The monastery takes the name from the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary that San Lazaro painted in the 9th century, which shows Panagia cradling Jesus.
When was Kera Kardiotissa Monastery built?
The exact foundation date is unknown. The present church was built in four stages, starting as a single-aisled temple, and the frescoes inside date from the 14th century.
Is Kera Kardiotissa a working monastery?
Yes, Kera works as a convent. It stands on the Lassithi Plateau road, so it is usually visited on the way up to or down from the plateau.
What is the feast day at Kera Kardiotissa?
The monastery celebrates on 8 September, the Nativity of Mary. The stone-built church at the centre of the complex carries that dedication.
Location
Kera Kardiotissa Monastery is located at Kera Kardiotissa Monastery, in the Heraklion region of Crete. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
