In the old town Parikia is the oldest of the Greek Church – the Church of Panagia Ekatontapyliani. The name of the temple translates as the virgin one hundred gates. According to legend, the Church was founded by St. Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine the Great. The temple was built two centuries later – in the sixth century under the Emperor Justinian – the architect Ignatius, a disciple of Isidore of Miletus, who built St. Sofia in Constantinople. According to the legend that Ignatius was invited by his teacher to admire his creation, but the teacher was jealous of the talent of the student and tried to push him off the roof of the temple, however, fell and broke both architects.

The building underwent remodeling and reconstruction of the X and XVIII centuries. The temple walls are made of colored stone, columns of coloured marble decorated with carved capitals. Carved iconostasis includes the icon of the virgin Mary, revered for its healing properties.

Left of the altar is the chapel of St. Nicholas. Once it was an independent Church, built in the IV century. And right of the altar is the oldest and the first to the safety of the baptistery of the Orthodox East (also dated to the fourth century).