ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΑ ΜΝΗΜΕΙΑ Ι.Μ.Ι.Σ. ENG

THE CHURCHES
AT IERAPETRA
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The twin-naved church, dedicated to Christ the Master and St. Charalambos, which
is located in the port, to the west of the medieval fortress of Kales, is the oldest
church of the city. Its architectural form is the result of interpolations to a barrel-vaulted,
single-nave church of the Venetian period to which, during the early 17th century, one
more aisle to the south was added, the one dedicated today to St.
Charalambos. A group of
three icons of the first half
of the 18th century on the
altar screen of the church which have been
attributed to the famous painter, George
Kastrophylakas, are of interest. A narthex
with two domes was added in later years to
the west of the church, which subsequently
was expanded. This surviving church is
possibly identified with the church of the
Saviour, for which rich archival material
survives, and which had been the object of
dispute between the Orthodox and Roman
Catholic Christians of the city, since it housed
both denominations. The dispute was
created when the Franciscan hieromonk,
Paul Mudarro, who served in the church,
decided to appropriate it on behalf of the
Franciscan order, abolishing the Orthodox
altar screen and building a chapel which is
probably identical to the present south aisle.
The dispute ended after the intervention of
the general provedditore of Crete, Francesco
Morosini, with more beneficial terms for the The Dormition of the Theotokos. Christ the Saviour.
Roman Catholics as it was suggested that
the south chapel be used exclusively by them, while the church of the Saviour by both
denominations, after the area of the sanctuary was
suitably structured.
The barrel-vaulted, single-nave church of St.
Nicholas is located further to the west of Christ
the Master. It is also clear that this is a building of
the Venetian period, even though it has been
subjected to interpolations during later years, such
as the opening of the western entrance. In the
interior a signed icon of the Holy Trinity of the 18th
century, is preserved, work of the painter George
Kastrophylakas.
Church of St. Nicholas.
The most important church of the city
is the metropolitan church of St. George,
who is also the patron saint of Ierapetra
due to his wonderworking interventions
during the period of Turkish occupation.
The church, which is also located in the
historical centre of Kato (Lower) Mera,
was built in the 19th century in place of
an older church. This original church, as
was recently discovered during
excavation research, was single-nave
with an orientation to the northwestsoutheast
and had two phases. Probably
Metropolitan Church of St. George.
a building of the Venetian period it
should be identified with the church of St. George in the homonymous neighbourhood
which is mentioned in inventory catalogues of the 17th century. The present church,
which was built in 1856 by the architect Chatzi-Manolis, belongs to the three-aisled
domed plan in which the upper structure is built from bagdati, i.e., a wooden frame
covered with mortar. In 1936 various extensive interpolations to the church took place,
of which the most important was its expansion by 3.20 metres to the east. The church,
relatively spacious, is particularly elaborate in individual elements, such as the fine-spun
columns with the different capitals that may originate from ancient monuments of the
city, but also in the monumentally structured doorframes and the decorative reliefs which
were highlighted and conserved after its recent restoration by the local Metropolis that
was completed in 2000.
Interior of Metropolitan Church.
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