Greek
Today, after many historic adventures, the Monastery continues to play an important role in the religious and financial life of Crete. Large numbers of visitors and the diligent care by the Monastery's brotherhood in harmonious cooperation with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and the 28th Ephorate for Byzantine Antiquities, make the monastery one of the most significant monuments of the land and abroad.
Important fragments from our long History
Please check the visiting hours in order to schedule your visit.
The Patriarchal and Crusading Monastery Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) of Jagarolon is one the most significant monastic complexes from the end of the Venetian Occupation of Crete, with a rich offering to the history and education of Crete. It is located at the base of the Stavrou mountain range, in a position known as "Tzobomilos" of Cape Meleha.
In accordance with tradition, confirmed by Venetian archives, the monastery was built by the brothers Jeremiah and Lavrentio Jagarolon, who were descendants of the great Venetian-Cretan family, a then powerful authority of the Orthodox population, and also among the Venetian Catholics. Jeremiah was a significantly learned man, and friend of the great Patriarch Alexandrias Meletiou Piga, and was himself a candidate for the position of Ecumenical Patriarch. He was a master of Greek and Latin learning, as can be seen from his writings, but also his bilingual signs which have survived in large numbers in the monastery grounds. His education and knowledge of modern European architecture of the time is obvious from the complex that he designed and built, and wherever specific faults were found by the Veronian architect of the 16th Century, Sebastiano Serlio.
In the place where the Agria Triada monastery is located, stood a small monastery which belonged to the holy monk Joachim Sofiano, and was in a state of decline after his death. For this reason, the Venetian authorities of the Monastery of Agia Kiriaki, assigned Jeremiah Jagarolo with its reformation in 1611. Jeremiah began the reconstruction of a very large complex, which was continued after his death in approximately 1634 by his brother Laurentios. In 1645 Chania fell into the hands of the Turks and all building work ceased, which had by then reached the base of the great dome. During the year of Turkish occupation, the Monastery was known as "Selvili Manastir" (the monastery with the cypress trees) and was frequently in difficult situations, which we are informed of by documents and travellers of the times. In the great Greek revolution of 1821, the monks left the monastery without having a chance to hide the precious heirlooms which were either plundered or burnt when the building was destroyed by fire.
After the uprising, the Monastery was reconstructed and the building works were finally completed. In these years the Monastery acquired substantial properties and had many appendages (capital) even as far away as Smyrni.
The Monastery made an agreement for the maintenance of the Greek schools of Chania from its earnings, while from 1892 a seminary operated in the buildings of the East Wing.