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  The
nunnery of Agia Irini is located a few kilometres south of
Rethymnon, just outside the village of Roussospiti. This
nunnery appears to date from the 14th century. It
flourished during the Venetian period and continued to exist up
until the Turkish occupation of the island. At some point
during Turkish rule the nunnery fell into disuse and remained
abandoned until 1989 - when restoration work gave it a new lease
of life. The currently resident nuns have made it their
mission to preserve and maintain traditional handicrafts of the
region - in particular weaving and embroidery. The museum
in the nunnery grounds houses an impressive display of
needlework produced by the nuns. |
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