Assumption of the Virgin Mary or St. Haralambos

This two-dimensional church is located behind the harbour of Adamas, the highest point of the village. It was built by Cretan refugees in 1870 and took its name from the church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary the “Protaitissa” (old metropolis of the island) and its adjacent church, St. Haralambos. These two churches were in the old capital of the island, Zefiria, from where the wooden altar and the old pictures of this magnificent church were transferred.

The architecture of the temple is three-aisled vaulted with an arched dome and its dome is located on the semi-cylindrical dome of the middle aisle. In the courtyard of the temple you can admire the mosaic of Ioannis Kavroudakis, made with pebbles from Milos, which depicts an eagle flying to the east. Notice at the bottom of the party, between the two dolphins, the emblem of the community of Adamas.

The Assumption of the Virgin Mary or St. Haralambos (locals call it with the second name), you will see pictures of cretan-byzantin art from the damaged churches of Zefiria, the wooden temple and a valuable picture of the Virgin Mary, which is covered with silver leaf.

Nativity of the Virgin Mary or Panagia Korfiatissa

On the western edge of Plaka, on the steep cliffs, the church of Panagia Korfiatissa was built in 1810. The location is known as "Chalara" and the parking in front of the temple as "Marmara", because the courtyard of the temple is covered with marble tombstones from the old town.

Visiting the Nativity of the Virgin Mary or Panagia Korfiatissa, apart from that you will enjoy magnificent views of the sea and spectacular sunsets, you will see relics of the old abandoned church of the island, pictures of cretan-byzantin art from the churches of Zefiria, holy relics kept in small silver boxes, the carved, gilded iconostasis as well as the gilded epitaph of 1600 by the Virgin Mary Skiniotissa, which is brought here from Smyrna.


Virgin Mary of the Roses (Panagia ton Rodon)

On the north side of Panagia Korfiatissa (in a narrow pass further down), you will find the second Catholic church of the island, Panagia of the Roses (Panagia ton Rodon) or Rosaria.

This small Catholic church was built by the French vice-consul Louis Brest in 1823 (as shown by the inscription above the entrance), while Brest himself is buried in the interior and his wife is buried in the courtyard. The lintel of the temple is decorated with the crest of the French King Louis XVI which is worth mentioning.

St. Haralambos

At the foot of Plaka, the village with the name Plakes, lies the fourth largest church of the island, St. Haralambos. This temple was erected in 1853 (replacing an old chapel), thanks to hard work and donations of its few inhabitants.

In the temple you can see modern paintings (a fresco of the Almighty –Pantokratoras- in the dome, St. Charalambous on the left side, and St. Vlassios on the opposite) and interesting images as of the Archon Michael, of Christ, of John the Baptist, of the Lady of the Angels, St. Jacob, of St. Catherine and the Panagia Akradiotissa, the oldest image of the island. This high-value image is transferred from the monastery that was destroyed in Mikri Akradia.

The great icon painter Kontoglou says about the image of Panagia Akradiotissa: "She is painted on top of a narrow plank, sunken like a hopper, like it is in the more ancient icons. The head of the Virgin is straight, as in other old "Odigitries" and the head of Christ is seen from the side.The eyes, the nose, the mouth are marked with sienna, a little darker than the original. Soft lights are placed with free and pop touches, like in the ancient places, while in the newer pictures of the lights are paiinted with standard lines, one next to another, shot carefully and closely. The original sienna is red, the face of the Virgin Mary shows aged and unsmiling, totally different from the usual "Odigitria".


St. Spiridonas

St. Spyridonas is the central church of Triovasalos and is a single structure with the smaller church of St. Marina. The church of St. Spyridonas is an interesting church, after presenting since it presents a unique architecture with four large arches. In it you will find pictures of the damaged churches of the old city of Zefiria and the picture "King of kings" from the famous Cretan icon painter, Skordilis.

If you visit St. Spyridonas or St. George on Easter Sunday, you will see the "burning of Judas", a custom dated from early Christian times and revived until today. This custom, combined with the custom of "gunpowder", where young people of both villages, Triovasalos and Pera Triovasalos, are throwing dynamite into the space between the two churches, each claiming the title of winner. The winner is the village that will cause more noise and burst most dynamite.