map of Crete The Vossakos, Vosakos or Vosakou monastery is located in the north of the Rethymno district and can be reached via the exit in Doxaro / Kambos. Sometimes there is a sign "Monastery of Timios Stavros" and this is also what it says on the sign at the monastery itself. On most maps of the island the monastery is referred to as "Moni Vossakou". All very confusing, but I think the church that surrounds the monastery is called the Timios Stavros church (translated: the Church of the Holy Cross) and ithe area is called the area of Vosakou. The monastery is at the end of a winding road and you first have to pass a thousand goats before you reach it. The landscape is beautiful and is somewhat unearthly. On some maps of the island the road continues towards the main road, but when we arrived at the monastery the asphalt road really stopped and we saw only a nasty dirt road that went down. We have therefore turned around again and drove the same route back.

The Vosakou or Vossakos monastery dates back to the 17th century and it was a rich monastery that owned many farmlands in the area. The monastery is built in the shape of a fortress. Vosakou played an important role in the revolt against the Turkish occupation, which resulted in a partial destruction of the monastery. In the 19th century the monastery was restored again and in 1855 the Timios Stavros church (the largest church on the site, because there is also a smaller one) was built on the remains of the earlier church from the 14th / 15th century. The Timios Stavros church is simple and consists of 1 aisle and it has a bell tower above the entrance. Inside there are icons. Around the church is a courtyard with fruit trees and a Venetian fountain from 1673.