Early Christian Basilica of Saint Andrew in Eresos

The Early Christian Basilica of Saint Andrew at Skala Eresou was uncovered by monks of Pithari Monastery in 1884–1885 and dates to around AD 450. It is three-aisled, with a rectangular plan, narthex, nave and sanctuary, while the floor of the central aisle is adorned with mosaics with peacocks and an inscription mentioning Bishop John, the representative of the Lesvians at the Third Ecumenical Council (431). It was initially probably dedicated to Saint John the Forerunner, as indicated by the walls of a small old chapel, but in AD 740 it was renamed the Basilica of Saint Andrew, due to the burial there of the Archbishop of Crete, Andrew, who died on a ship off Eresos. On the site, remains survive of a chapel, service rooms, and a mausoleum with a cenotaph of the Saint, making it a monument of unique historical and religious value.