The Monastery of Preveli, situated at a distance of 37 kilometers far from Rethymnon at the South, is in fact consisted by two Monasteries, 3 kilometers far away one from another. The first is called « Kato Moni » and it is abandoned and the second is the « Pisso Moni », which is a monastery in function, where visitors are welcome.

According to the tradition, the Monastery owes its name to a refugee who came here from Preveliana of Heraklion, in the 17 th century, and was housed in an older monastery of the area, established in the 16 th century.

The two-aisle church dedicated to Aghios Ioannis Theologos (St John ) and to the Annunciation of Virgin Mary, built in 1836 on the place of an earlier Byzantine church, dominates the yard of the Monastery. There is a fountain in the Monastery with an inscription dated in 1701. There is also a small Museum.

During the Ottoman domination the Monastery played an important social and educational role, and it maintained a school established in 1831. It was quite rich, as many people used legate their lands to the Monastery. It had an important part in the revolution of 1866, which resulted to its destruction by the Ottomans in 1867. It was rebuilt in 1897 with many changes; nowadays the former abbot's residence has been transformed to a hostel for the visitors of the Monastery. A local feast ("panighyri") takes place in honor of St. Jon on the 8th of May.

The Museum of Preveli Monastery
Within the territory of the Monastery there is a small Museum where there are displayed religious artifacts, sacerdotal vestments, religious books and other souvenirs of the Monastery.