Toplou Monastery near Sitia
Toplou Monastery stands at the northeastern edge of Crete near the base of Sidero Cape, 10 km east of Sitia and 6 km north of Palekastro. Toplou is one of the most significant historic monasteries on the island, and it is known for its extensive real estate holdings.
The building is a fort as much as a church. A wall 10 m high encloses it, the complex covers a square of 800 square metres over three floors, and a bell tower 33 m high rises above the whole thing.
The names of the monastery
Toplou carries three names. In religious contexts the monastery is the Monastery of Panagia Akrotiriani, locals simply call it the Great Monastery, and Toplou is the name everyone else uses.
The fortress and its rooms
The 10 m wall is what kept Toplou standing through repeated enemy invasions. Inside it the monastery holds 40 rooms across three floors, arranged around a square of about 800 square metres. Legend has it that the monastery has 100 doors, and that only 99 of them have ever been found.
A well sits at the centre of the complex. That water is what sustained the monks through the sieges laid by Turks and pirates, and it is the reason a fort this isolated could hold out at all.
The entrance and the “killer”
The entrance is on the west side of the fort, and its door is heavy enough that it is mounted on wheels. Above the main entrance is a hole the monks called the “killer”. Anyone trying to break through the door below had stones dropped on them through it, or boiling hot liquids poured down.
The church at Toplou
The church stands opposite the well, in the middle of the courtyard. It is a two-aisled basilica, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and to John the Theologian.
The landscape around Toplou
This corner of Crete is among the most arid and inhospitable on the island. The wind blows hard and persistently here, and that wind is what led to one of the first wind farms in Crete being established in the area. Toplou stands in that dry, exposed ground, with its own wall around it and its own well inside.
Getting to Toplou Monastery
Drive east from Sitia for 10 km, or north from Palekastro for 6 km, to reach Toplou. The monastery is about a 2.5-hour drive from Heraklion, so it is worth combining with the rest of the far east in one day: the beaches of this coast, the ancient site at Itanos 6.7 km away, and the palm forest at Vai, 5.7 km from the monastery.
What else is nearby
Eastern Lasithi concentrates its beaches, Minoan sites and gorges within about 10 km of the monastery. They are listed below by distance from Toplou.
- Palaikastro lies 4.4 km away, the nearest town to the monastery.
- Kouremenos beach is 5.2 km out on the windward coast.
- Psili Ammos beach and Vai beach, with the largest palm forest in Europe, both sit 5.7 km away.
- The Roussolakos Minoan town lies 6.2 km from Toplou.
- Hiona beach and the Itanos beaches are both 6.4 km away.
- Ancient Itanos stands 6.7 km out, and the Agia Fotia necropolis 6.8 km.
- Ancient Trypitos at Sitia lies 8.1 km away.
- The Skinias beaches are 8.3 km from the monastery and Sitia beach 9.4 km.
- Chochlakies Gorge starts 9.5 km away.
- Sitia is 10 km west by road, and our guide to things to do in Sitia covers the town.
- The Piskokefalo Minoan mansion lies 10.7 km from Toplou.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Toplou Monastery?
Toplou stands at the northeastern edge of Crete, 10 km east of Sitia and 6 km north of Palekastro. The monastery sits near the base of Sidero Cape.
What else is Toplou Monastery called?
Its religious name is the Monastery of Panagia Akrotiriani, and locals call it the Great Monastery. All three names refer to the same fortified complex near Sidero Cape.
How far is Toplou Monastery from Heraklion?
Toplou is about a 2.5-hour drive from Heraklion. The distance is why most visitors combine it with Vai, the Itanos site and the beaches of the far east in a single day.
How many doors does Toplou Monastery have?
Legend says 100, but only 99 have ever been found. The monastery holds 40 rooms across three floors behind a wall 10 m high.
What is the “killer” at Toplou Monastery?
The “killer” is a hole above the main entrance. Monks used it to drop stones or pour boiling hot liquids onto anyone trying to force the door below.
What is the church at Toplou dedicated to?
The two-aisled basilica is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and John the Theologian. It stands opposite the well at the centre of the monastery.
Location
Toplou Monastery near Sitia is located at Toplou Monastery near Sitia, in the Lassithi region of Crete. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
