Moni Koudouma

Koudoumas Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries on the southern coast of central Crete, Greece. It is situated at the exit of the Katarraktis gorge in the Asterousia Mountains, 80km south of Heraklion and just 40m from the beautiful Koudoumas beach.

History

The monastery’s origins are lost in time, with no archival records or historical documents pinpointing its foundation. However, based on tradition and archaeological evidence, monastic activity in the area’s caves is believed to date back to the early Christian period.

The current monastery was built by the Cretan monks Parthenios and Evmenios Charitakis after 1870. It was constructed on the ruins of an older monastery that had been destroyed, likely by pirates.

The Katholikon (Main Church)

The Katholikon of the Holy Monastery of Koudoumas is dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos. In the Byzantine years, the cave temple functioned as the Katholikon of the “Koudoumas skete”. Unfortunately, no archival evidence survives about the building infrastructure, the space it covered, and other related information from this period. Today the cave is preserved, but we do not know if another building extended to the west, which was part of the temple.

What we do know is that at the end of the 19th century the ruins of a previous temple are preserved, as evidenced by the mural above the iconostasis as well as a letter from Saint Evmenios to the Bishop of Arcadia Vasilios which refers to this and thus explains the fact of the erection of a new temple by the holy fathers Parthenios and Evmenios.

Current Status

Today, the monastery has been renovated and a second church has been built in honor of the two saints Parthenios and Evmenios. The relics of the saints are kept in the monastery.

Access and Surroundings

The monastery is one of the most isolated in Crete, as access from Heraklion requires 2.5 hours. It is reached by a 24km dirt road that starts from the village of Sternes (access from Harakas), at an altitude of 1000m in the shadow of the peak of Kofinas (1231m). During your descent by car, the view of the sea is amazing (even frightening) and the cliffs cause vertigo. Along the way you will see the pine forest of Koudoumas, but also many goats on the bare sharp rocks hanging from the eyebrows of the mountain.

The monastery is also a starting point for hiking trails leading to the cave of Agios Antonios and Avvakospilio.

Bullet Points

• Construction Period: Original construction in the 14th century, rebuilt in 1870.
• Location: Exit of the Katarraktis gorge in the Asterousia Mountains, 80km south of Heraklion, Crete.
• Dimensions: Not readily available
• Historical Significance: One of the oldest monasteries on Crete’s southern coast, with evidence of monastic activity dating back to the early Christian period.
• Current Status: Active monastery, open to visitors.