Monastery of St. Anthony at Syrmeso

The Monastery of Saint Anthony at Syrmesso, near Fourni and Neapolis in Lasithi, is a 16th-century foundation now abandoned, with only its katholikon surviving. The church is single-aisled and barrel-vaulted, with a south entrance featuring a simple semicircular relieving arch. A lower narthex was added to the west side, connecting to the main nave through an arched opening. The monastic complex, today in ruins, spreads around the church in all directions. The monastery was built between 1591 and 1595 by the monk Nikodemos Kalochrysos, on land donated by Manolis Koudoumnis and Tzortzis Karystinos. It was originally a male monastery, given to the nearby Monastery of Aretiou in 1608, then converted to a female monastery in 1617. The site offers views toward the settlements of Karydi and Dories, and several other monasteries in the area.