On your left is the Neradje Mosque, a rectangular stone building defined by three semicircular domes and a soaring minaret. Like several landmarks we have seen, it has played many roles. Originally, this was Santa Maria, a Catholic monastery for the Augustinian order. When the Ottomans conquered the city, they repurposed it into a mosque.
Take a look at your screen to see the intricate doorway. Those Corinthian columns and Renaissance details are based on the work of Italian architect Sebastiano Serlio. The towering minaret, which is the slender balcony lined tower used for the Islamic call to prayer, was added much later in 1890 by local engineer Georgios Daskalakis. It is still the tallest structure in town.
A close look at the building's facade revealing Renaissance elements and the ornate doorway with Corinthian-style columns, believed to be based on the work of Sebastiano Serlio.Photo: Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.
Following a forced population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1924, the Muslim community left Crete entirely. The building was then transformed once again this time into a music school. It is open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM if you want to peek inside. The overlapping eras of Rethymno are perfectly preserved right here. Whenever you are ready, we can walk to our next stop.
A wide view of the Neradje Mosque, originally a Catholic monastery and later repurposed as a music school in Rethymno, Crete.Photo: Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.The imposing single minaret, built in 1890 by engineer Georgios Daskalakis, is the tallest structure in Rethymno and features two balconies.Photo: Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.A vertical shot emphasizing the minaret's elegant structure and its two distinct balconies from a different perspective.Photo: RoyBatty8888, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.This view captures the main building, which was once the Catholic monastery of Santa Maria before its conversion into a mosque.Photo: Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.A view of the former Gazi Hüseyin Pasha Mosque, which was abandoned in 1924 following the population exchange between Turkey and Greece.Photo: C messier, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.A broad, high-resolution view of the Neradje Mosque, a prominent landmark in the old town of Rethymno, Greece.Photo: Geotiger18, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.A closer look at the building's Renaissance-style windows and the ornate decorative elements present on its façade.Photo: Geotiger18, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.A distinct side view of the Neradje Mosque, clearly showing the cluster of three semicircular domes that define its roofline.Photo: Geotiger18, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.A broader perspective of the mosque's exterior, showcasing its rectangular form and the historic architecture from the Ottoman era.Photo: C messier, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped & resized.arrow_back Back to Rethymno Audio Tour: Mosques, Myths & the Fortress of Time
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