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Moni Preveli - The First Glance

You get to Moni Preveli driving through the stunning Kourtaliotis gorge.

The monastery is also often called Piso Monastri (back monastery), the old abandoned one, however, Kato Monasteri (the lower monastery).

This site is probably over 1000 years old, the buildings, however much younger.

Its abbot Melchizedek Tsouderos was the co-founder of the liberation movement in 1821.

In 1866, as the base for the uprising, the monastery was destroyed

It also played a rather significant role in the 2nd world war.

After the occupation by the German troups the monchs of the monastery helped many English, Australian & New Zealand's men to escape to Egypt.