Chromonastiri: Military Museum, Mill and Routes

Chromonastiri lies 360 metres above sea level on the foothills of Mount Vrysinas. In the wider destination of Rethymno, the settlement is designated as a historic settlement worthy of preservation. This gives trip planning a specific elevation, cultural sites and several named routes to consider. The Military Museum and Prinaris Mill offer different cultural and historical perspectives; the routes lead to other named destinations and landscapes.

Military Museum and Prinaris Mill

The Military Museum is housed in Villa Clodio, a Venetian villa built by the Clodio family in 1610. It includes a room for temporary exhibitions featuring photographs from various historical periods. The building’s history and changing photographic perspectives on the past can thus be explored side by side. The villa and its exhibition rooms offer two distinct points of interest for a museum visit.

Prinaris Mill is a former olive mill that has been converted into a folklore museum. Its former use and subsequent conversion to a folklore museum offer a different focus from the Military Museum. Visitors interested in the cultural history of the area can include both subjects in their trip plans without conflating them. For a specific visit, it is advisable to check the latest visitor information.

Routes and named sites

The Vrysinas route continues to Chromonastiri; the Byzantine Chapel of the Virgin Mary of Keras is a recommended stop there. Another route description covers the Rethymno–Prasses route: it passes through the small, green Mili Gorge and climbs up to Chromonastiri, where Villa Clodio, home to the Military Museum, is located. The routes’ different focuses are useful when comparing them: the chapel is a recommended stop on the Vrysinas route, while the Rethymno–Prasses route features the gorge and the climb to the village and villa. Before setting out, check the latest information on visiting and route conditions.

Rethymno as a wider cultural context

In the wider destination of Rethymno, the Old Town offers another historical perspective. It is designated as a protected historic monument and a traditional settlement. Its urban layout took shape during the Venetian period and was later altered during Ottoman rule. The historic centre lies below the Venetian Fortezza fortress. These urban layers offer a different theme from Chromonastiri’s elevation and museum sites.

The museums in the wider destination of Rethymno also cover different periods. Since 1991, the Archaeological Museum of Rethymno has been housed in a pentagonal building in front of the main entrance to the Fortezza. Its exhibitions trace the history of the prefecture from the Neolithic period to Roman times. The Historical and Folklore Museum of Rethymno is housed in a 17th-century Venetian mansion. Its permanent exhibition spans five rooms and showcases traditional crafts and folk art. Archaeological collections and traditional craftsmanship thus offer different ways to explore the history of Rethymno.

Another archaeological site in the wider destination of Rethymno is the Armeni necropolis, an extensive Late Minoan cemetery with more than 220 excavated tombs. The tombs were family tombs containing several deceased people; their grave goods provide information about the art, religion and social organisation of the time. This focus on burials and archaeological finds differs in turn from the exhibition and architectural history themes in Chromonastiri.

Discover more destinations: Achlades, Pigianos Kampos, Roupes, Livadia Keramoti, Sellía, Aggeliana, Aghia Triada, Asteri.

For the wider travel overview: Rethymno.