Asomati Monastery

The monastery of Asomati in the valley of Amari was probably founded in the Middle Byzantine period, but the present monastic complex was gradually built from the 17th to the 19th century; reconstructions were also carried out in the 20th century, when the monastery was converted into an Agricultural School. The church (catholicon) of the monastery is particularly impressive, in a free cross plan with a dome. The archaeological research has indicated that a single-nave church with a wooden roof was built in the 13th century on the remains of an older church. In the 16th century, the wooden roof was replaced by a barrel vault. In the 20th century, the present cross-domed church was built, partially incorporating the 13th century building.

Bibliography

Μ. Ανδριανάκης, «Το έργο της 28ης Εφορείας Βυζαντινών Αρχαιοτήτων», Μ. Ανδριανακης, Ί. Τζαχίλη (επιμ.), Αρχαιολογικό Έργο Κρήτης. Πρακτικά της 1ης συναντησης, Ρέθυμνο, 28-30 Νοεμβρίου 2008, Ρέθυμνο 2010, σ. 40

Μ. Ανδριανάκης, Κ. Γιαπιτσόγλου, Χριστιανικά μνημεία της Κρήτης, Ηράκλειο 2012, σ. 302.