Cathedral of Saint Minas

The impressive Cathedral dominates the heart of Heraklion, being one of the largest churches of Greece…

The Agios Minas Cathedral is a Greek Orthodox Cathedral serving as the seat of the Archbishop of Crete. It was built over the time period of 1862-1895. The construction was interrupted during the Cretan Revolution of 1866–1869, and it is one of the largest cathedrals in Greece, with a capacity of 8,000 people.

The foundations of the imposing cathedral of Saint Minas symbolizes the gratitude of the citizens for the saint’s protection of the city. The site is said to have been indicated by a monk to whom St Minas appeared in a vision.

The church is of the cruciform type with a dome based on a high spandrel, while internally there are also elements of a three aisle basilica. It has two bell towers, and the right aisle is dedicated to Apostle Titos, while the left one is dedicated to St. Ten Martyrs of Crete. The inside of the church has gone through many changes with new additions.

A wonderful collection of religious icons is housed inside the strong walls. It used to be a renowned school of Renaissance painters and writers in the 16th and 17th centuries. Inside the church you can see the work of Michael Damaskinos and other representatives of the Cretan School.