GREECE CRETE LASITHI TOPLOU

The monastery of Toplou, about 10 km east of Sitia in a barren landscape at the edge of Cape Sideros, is a prominent religious, historical and cultural monument. Founded in the 15th century, it suffered severe damage by the earthquake of 1612 and by repeated raids especially during the Ottoman occupation of Crete.

The architecture of the monastery is that of a fortress and this corresponds to its name: Toplou means "the one possessing a cannon" ("top" in Turkish), originally to hold off pirates. Later, the monastery played an important role during the liberation fights in 1821, when many monks were killed.