<The village of Epano Episkopi on the island of Crete
On the route from Sitia to Ierepetra I bumped into this very picturesque little white church in a small village called Epano Episkopi.
Epano Episkopi is situated on the right hand side of the road when you drive from the north to Makrigialos. The distance to the town of Sitia is 12 kilometer. On the left hand side is also the exit to Praisos and the town of Ziros.
The large white painted village church consists of three houses that all have an extension in the shape of a semi-circle with a dome on it. The church looked badly damaged by probably a fairly recent earthquake, because from the first time I saw this church (I think around 2008) I can not remember that there were so many cracks in its walls.
The interior of the church is quite simple with white painted walls and a number of icons. There is beautiful carved woodwork to see but there are no frescoes.
From Epano Episkopi you have a beautiful view over the landscape, the sea and the islands off the coast of the north of Crete, such as the island of Gianysada. The island is part of a group of islands off the coast of Sitia in the Lassithi district that also include the small islands of Dragonada, Paximada, and Paximadaki. This island group is called the Dionysades because here in ancient times the god Dionysus was worshiped. A number of objects from the ancient and early Christian times have been found here that suggest that the islands have been inhabited. Today it is a protected area for rare birds and plants.