The 19th-century cathedral of Agios Minas dominates the square at the south end of the old city, paired with a smaller mediaeval church of the same dedication that stands directly alongside it. The large cathedral — built between 1862 and 1895 — is the seat of the Archbishop of Crete and the largest church on the island. Its interior is richly decorated with gold-ground icons and chandeliers, and the ceiling fresco of the Last Judgement covers the full nave vault.
Agios Minas is the patron saint of Iraklion. On his feast day (November 11th), the cathedral hosts a major procession through the city — one of the most important religious events in Crete. The small older church beside it, dating from the Venetian period, has icons and furnishings that survived the Ottoman conquest and the subsequent centuries. It is usually open during the day and is worth a few minutes even for visitors with limited interest in religious architecture.