The 17th-century Vosakou Monastery (Μονή Βωσάκου) is a 30-minutes ride from Fodele Beach & Water Park Holiday Resort. Often misspelled Vossakos, this is a monastic complex that played a very important role in the Greek Revolution of Independence in 1821 and the Cretan Revolution of 1866.
Dedicated to the True Cross, it is a post-Byzantine religious monument administered by the Rethymnon Ephorate of Antiquities. The monastic complex boasts a single-aisled, vaulted church, which traces its history to 1195, although the temple in its current form was built in the 17th century. We have described the monastery in detail in a previous article but this is an opportunity to feature some of the most beautiful images shared on Instagram by travellers who love this Cretan gem.
No matter how you spell it, Vossakos, Vosakos, or Vosakou, this religious attraction is a must-see in Mylopotamos. The monastery is also known as “Monastery of Timios Stavros” from the Church of Timios Stavros (in translation, the Church of the Holy Cross) which is present in the monastic complex.
The architectural style of the monastery reminds of a fortress. In fact, fortified monastic complexes are usual on Crete. Monasteries were built with enforced walls to allow safe refuge for the locals during the Ottoman occupation and other threats.
Featured image, general view of the Vosakou Monastery with the imposing cypress-tree, by Lourakis at the English Wikipedia