Rethymno Attali Monastery

Location: Bali

Built on a hill with panoramic sea views west of Bali village, the Attali Monastery is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and dates from a time when asceticism flourished in the wider area, which was then completely isolated.

Though the exact construction date remains unknown, the complex’s architectural features and a few in situ inscriptions suggest that it must have been erected between the 16th and the 17th centuries, during the late Venetian era. According to written sources and archaeological research, it originally consisted of a small church and a few monks’ cells, but it was completely reconstructed in the 1630s.

Due to the inclination of the ground, the structure of the complex is highly unusual in that the katholikon, the main church, is not located in the central courtyard. Instead, the monastery has been built on tiered levels, with the two-aisled katholikon standing on the northwestern side, outside the courtyard. The cells take up the southern side, while other ancillary buildings, such as an old olive mill and a ceramics workshop can be found near the majestic main gate.

Besides the old frescoes, visitors will have the chance to see an exhibition that comprises various 18th and 19th-century religious objects and relics.