Aghios Georgios Phalandras church, Faistos, Crete, Greece
The church was a monastery church of the Orthodox male monastery of the same name, dated to the early Venetian period (16th century), which operated normally until it dissolution in 1821. The ruins of the fortified building complex around the church were still visible until the first decades of the 20th century. The place name Phalandra or Phlandra is thought to be a corruption of the word "Filanda" (textile factory), referring o the fact that the monks farmed silk-worms. This is probably the site known as Melikas whee St John the Stranger founded the monastery of Aghios Geogios Douvrikas in the second half of 10th century. The large church with its voulted roof, few plain openings and interesting stone Renaissance icon screen was originally planned as a two-aisled structure. The shorter north aisle dedicated to the Virgin was never completed, while the bell-tower at its west end was converted into a two-storey tower. This was why the two unequal between the two aisles were walled up almost immediately. Tombs of eminent figures of the Venetian periods have been discovered both within the monument and outside it.
Size: 4101px × 2729px
Location: Faistos, Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece
Photo credit: © Olga Gajewska / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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