Chrysoskalitissa Monastery (Crete)

Not far from the famous Elafonisi pink beach, you can visit the Chrysoskalitissa Monastery of Crete.
It is a nice stop on the wild West Coast: views, history and the legend of the Golden Step.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit with map, tips and photos.

Chryssoskalitissa Monastery Crete travel guide

Table of Contents

Why visit the Chrysoskalitissa Monastery in Crete ?

Planning Tips & Map - Chrysoskalitissa Monastery Crete

Monastery from the distance

History and Legend of the Golden Step

Chrysoskalitissa Church & View

Museums of Chrysoskalitissa

Elafonisi Beach

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Why visit the Chrysoskalitissa Monastery in Crete ?

I must admit that I would not do the drive, just to see the monastery.
But if you are heading to Elafonisi beach to see the pink sand and enjoy the shallow waters, the monastery is a good way to complement the trip.
Located on a promontory right by the sea, it has a privileged situation.
On top of that, this historical site is famous for the legend of the Golden step. I will explain it later in this article. Are you pure of heart?

Chrysoskalitissa Monastery

Note: the name is sometimes written Chryssoskalitissa monastery or Chrisoskalitissa Monastery.
However on all the signs in English there, it was Chrysoskalitissa, which is why I opted for this spelling.

Planning Tips & Map - Chrysoskalitissa Monastery Crete

Where is the Chrysoskalitissa Monastery? Map & location

Located at the South end of the West Coast of Crete
10 min drive North from Elafonisi beach
1h30 drive from Chania
1h drive from Palaiochora
Below is a map to help you get oriented

Map Chrysoskalitissa Monastery Crete location

Map - Chrysoskalitissa Monastery in Crete - location

This highlight is included (with GPS coordinates and practical tips) in my Travel Guide eBook that helps you easily plan your road trip around Crete:

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How to get to the Chrysoskalitissa Monastery?

Only accessible by car
The roads in this region are through the mountains, but not especially difficult
Short detour from the road that takes you to Elafonisi

Need to rent a car in Crete?
My tips:

Option 1 - Check out the local company Rental Center Crete - excellent ratings and a zero-excess insurance policy included (which I really like)
Option 2 - Compare offers on Discovercars.com - one of the best customer-rated comparison sites! And consider their full coverage option - I always take it for peace of mind!
Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!

Visit Tips

There is a large free carpark at the bottom of the monastery
You can find boards with explanations on the carpark before entering
Opening hours = at least 8am to 7pm
Entrance fee = 2 euros
You must be modestly dressed
It is not a large monastery to visit - short tour
Photography with flash is not allowed in the temple and museums
Toilets just before the entrance

visiting the Chrysoskalitissa Monastery in Crete

Where to stay in Crete?
My tips:

For a charming town with lots of activities - See best rated accommodations in Chania
For a sandy beach and some nightlife - See best rated options in Malia or in Bali
For a mix of history, beach and central location - See best rated options in Rethymno
For the main city - See best rated options in Heraklion
For stunning scenery, away from the large crowds - See best rated options in Palaiochora
For a very quiet area - see best rated options in Mochlos

More tips on my article about where to stay in Crete

Monastery from the distance

I think the monastery is most beautiful when admired from the distance. A Cretan Monastery with one of the best locations (see my list)
It isolated on a promontory by the sea at 35m in altitude.
Because of its situation, it reminds a little of a fortress.

This first view is from the main road. You won't miss it!

Chrysoskalitissa Monastery from the distance

This second view, was taken from the roads below. I was looking for an access to the Aspri Limni cove. So I followed the sign for the Aspri Limni house, but could not find any public access to the cove...

Chrysoskalitissa Monastery from the distance 1

And the view below is when arriving at the carpark:

How to get to the Chrysoskalitissa Monastery location

History and Legend of the Golden Step

History of Chrysoskalitissa

This is a 17th century Orthodox Christian Monastery. It is consecrated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (but during the Venetian occupation, it was dedicated to Saint Nicholaos).
Here is a short timeline:

According to tradition, the holiness of the place is due to the presence of an icon found in a hollow rock
Mid 17th century - the church is built inside the rock
1824 - The Turk-Egyptians massacre 600 people on the Elafonisi island and destroy the empty monastery
Mid-19th century - the monastery is renovated and expanded
End of the 19th century - the new temple is built
1907 - the Austrian ship Imperatrix sinks at Elafonisi beach. The monks were able to save 102 passengers.
1940 - the monastery becomes a nunnery
1941 to 1944 - the nuns are expelled under the German occupation and the monastery becomes a German outpost

Legend of the Monastery of Chrysoskalitissa - staircase 1

Legend of the Golden Step

And I will finally tell you about the golden step.

The name Chrysoskalitissa literally means carved on gold.

There are 2 stories around this golden step:

There was an actual golden stair and it was sold by the Patriarchate during the Turkish era to pay taxes (according to the board at the carpark)
One of the 98 stairs was gold but only the pure of heart could see it (the most appreciated legend).

Personally, I did not see it. And I counted less that 90 steps. So I must be really bad... lol

Legend of the Monastery of Chrysoskalitissa - staircase 2

Chrysoskalitissa Church & View

You can climb the stair all the way to the church and visit the inside.
It is dedicated to the Assumption of Virgin Mary (Aug 15)

The temple has two aisles one to the Virgin Mary and one to the Holy Trinity, with a bell tower in the middle.
The façade is rather austere looking.

You can walk around and find the path along the building to admire the views of the Lybian sea:

Museums of Chrysoskalitissa

There are 2 museums you can visit

The Folklore museum where you can admire tools that were used in the region and how difficult labour was
The Byzantine museum where you can see some holy icons of Byzantine style, as well as Renaissance style. You can also see some old items of Worship.

Elafonisi Beach

The main point of interest of the area is the famous Elafonisi Beach.
Just 10min drive South of the monastery, you will find a lagoon with warm shallow waters, an island and pink sand!

To see more photos and learn about why the sand is pink, check out my article.