Prines Village

A small traditional village

Prines is a village in the prefecture of Rethymno located near the village of Vederoi and Atsipopoulo. Built at an altitude of 200 meters in the middle of a verdant landscape with walnut trees, plane trees, oaks and olive trees, the village of Prinses has approximately 900 inhabitants and maintains elements from its Venetian and Ottoman past with courtyards, arched houses, stone stairs and domes. Apart from the Venetian buildings, the visitor can also admire the Church of Agios Nikolaos, the patron Saint of the village, next to the old stone school. The church was built in 10th-11th century and displays an old icon of the Saint, which did many miracles during the Turkish occupation. 

That is why the icon became the target of the Turks, who plundered the temple and tried to desecrate the image with their swords without any result though. In the village of Prines there are also a two-nave church of Agios Antonios and the Annunciation of the Virgin built in 1800 in the center of the village, the church of Agios Panteleimonas, with a great feast held in honor of the Saint every year, and Agia Paraskevi, a picturesque chapel. On the war memorial of the village, 20 fighters are mentioned, who fell for their country. The village also features a 5×5 football pitch, a safe cycling route of varying degree of difficulty over 10 km long and the hiking trails leading to the village of Vederoi and the gorge Vederon