Church of Agios Titos
Church of Agios Titos features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Heraklion. Give it roughly ~45 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- Heraklion Heraklion guide
About Church of Agios Titos
A church built as an Ottoman mosque, later reconsecrated, that guards the returned skull of Saint Titus, the disciple Paul left to lead Crete's first Christians.
The Church of Agios Titos is dedicated to Saint Titus, the disciple whom the Apostle Paul left in Crete to organise the early Church and who is venerated as the island's first bishop. A church of Saint Titus has stood on the site since 961, when the Byzantine general Nikephoros Phokas recaptured Crete from Arab rule. Under Venetian rule it held the seat of the Catholic archbishop and was renovated in 1466, and under the Ottomans the earlier building was converted into the Vizier Mosque.
After the earthquake of 1856 destroyed the older structure, the present building was rebuilt in Ottoman mosque form by the architect Athanasios Moussis, who also designed the Cathedral of Agios Minas. It returned to Orthodox worship in the 1920s. The skull of Saint Titus, carried to Venice after the Ottoman conquest of 1669, was returned to Heraklion in 1966 and is kept inside in a silver reliquary.
Did you know? The building you see was purpose-built as an Ottoman mosque and only later reconsecrated, so Heraklion's Orthodox faithful now worship inside a structure originally raised to serve Muslim prayer.
How long is a visit to Church of Agios Titos?
Set aside roughly ~45 min for Church of Agios Titos. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Church of Agios Titos worth your time?
Church of Agios Titos is among the 20 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Heraklion, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Heraklion
Day 1 of the Heraklion in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Church of Agios Titos
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