Église orthodoxe · Whitewashed church with blue domes

Church of the Holy Cross

Mis à jour en 2026Vérifié sur placeAt the entrance to Perissa, just back from the beach

The Church of the Holy Cross is the largest church on Santorini — a big whitewashed, four-blue-domed church that marks the entrance to Perissa, with a tall arcaded bell tower that rises above the village.

The blue-domed white Church of the Holy Cross in Perissa with its tall arcaded bell tower against a clear sky — Church of the Holy Cross · Whitewashed church with blue domes

Période

Whitewashed church with blue domes

Emplacement

In the village, a few minutes from the seafront

Entrée

Free

Horaires

Generally open around service times; hours vary

Temps nécessaire

15–20 minutes

Note

4.7★ · 134 avis

Horaires et tarifs vérifiés pour la dernière fois en 2026 — ils changent, alors confirmez-les le jour même.

Histoire

Comment cela est né

First built around 1835–1840 and rebuilt after the 1956 Amorgos earthquake, the church stands on a much older Christian site: the reconstruction uncovered the foundations of two early-Christian three-aisled basilicas beneath it. It remains the main church of the village, and its scale and blue domes make it a landmark visible from the beach and from the slopes of Mesa Vouno above.

Ce que vous verrez

Lors d'une visite

The blue domes and the ornate multi-tiered bell tower, the whitewashed exterior, and the quiet interior when it is open for services.

Comment visiter

On the main road at the edge of Perissa, an easy flat walk from the beach. Please dress modestly and keep quiet if a service is under way.

Meilleur moment

Morning light, or golden hour when the white walls warm up

Galerie

Comment s'y rendre

Emplacement

In the village, a few minutes from the seafront · At the entrance to Perissa, just back from the beach

Itinéraire

Ouvrir dans Google Maps

Bon à savoir

Yes. It is the village's main church and can be visited around service times; dress modestly and be respectful, especially during services.

It's the largest church on Santorini — a big whitewashed, blue-domed landmark with a tall arcaded bell tower that marks the entrance to Perissa. It was rebuilt in the mid-20th century after the 1956 Amorgos earthquake, and during the works the remains of two early-Christian basilicas were uncovered beneath it, hinting at how long this spot has been a place of worship.

Guides sur Perissa.net

Sites à proximité

Tous les 6 sites →

Volcanic black-sand beach

Perissa Beach

Perissa Beach is the northern end of a continuous ~7 km sweep of black volcanic sand — Santorini's longest beach — running south from the great rock of Mesa Vouno through Perivolos, beneath a line of tavernas, beach bars and sunbeds.

Rock chapel set into Mesa Vouno

Panagia Katefiani

Panagia Katefiani is a tiny whitewashed chapel built into a hollow in the sheer rock face of Mesa Vouno, high above Perissa with a sweeping view over the village and the sea. Built between 1537 and 1650, its name comes from the word katefygio, meaning a place of refuge — villagers hid up here from pirate raids, and its lofty perch helped it survive. A small cave with a spring, said to have healing waters, lies behind the sanctuary.

Greco-Roman city (Dorian, Hellenistic & Roman)

Ancient Thera

Ancient Thera is the ruined Greco-Roman city that crowns the long ridge of Mesa Vouno, its terraces, streets and temple foundations strung out high above Perissa and Kamari with the Aegean on both sides.