Saint George of Anogeia

The church of Saint George has stood in the heart of Anogeia since the early 18th century.

It is one of only five churches that were allowed to be built in Crete during the Turkish occupation, highlighting the importance and devotion it inspired among the faithful.

For its time, it was considered exceptionally large.

It is the first and only church that, since 2005, honors both saints and the heroes of the Greek War of Independence (1821). Alongside the icons of Saint George, Christ, and the Virgin Mary, the walls depict Kolokotronis, Karaiskakis, Papaflessas, Makrygiannis, Daskalogiannis, and Bouboulina.

According to tradition, during the church’s construction, the priest Kyriakos Kefalogiannis would visit the shepherds’ mitata (stone huts) daily, and instead of water, they would give him milk to make the mortar. The reason for this practice remains unknown.