Panagia Kroustallenia in Lassithi Plateau

Located on a small hill adorned with oak trees near the villages of Agios Konstantinos and Marmaketo in the Lassithi Plateau, the Monastery of Panagia Kroustallenia is a historically significant site in Crete that is always worth exploring.

As per local tradition, the monastery’s name is believed to have originated either from its first founder, Kroustallenia, or from an icon of Panagia (Virgin Mary) discovered in a nearby cave, which was engraved on crystal (Kroustalenia also translates to “made of crystal” or “glass”).

The primary temple within the monastery is devoted to the Virgin Mary and observes its celebration on August 15. The monastery complex primarily features 20th-century buildings due to the multiple destructions it faced during the Turkish occupation.