Church of the Lady of the Crusades, Heraklion
The Church of the Lady of the Crusades (Panagia Stavroforon) is a historic place of worship in Heraklion. It belonged to a monastery during the Venetian era, was later transformed into a mosque and finally became a church again in the 19th century.
About this building
The church was part of the now defunct Capuchin monastery, which dates back to Venetian Crete. The monastery was dedicated to the management of the Hospital of St. Anthony located in the vicinity of the church. During Ottoman rule in Crete, the church was transformed into the Kuchuakli Mosque. The minaret was destroyed during World War II. the building was restored in 1956 and more recently in the 21st century.