Museum of Wooden Sculpture

The Wooden Sculptures Museum in Axos, situated roughly an hour’s drive (about 54 kilometres) from the heart of Rethymno, celebrates traditional Cretan woodworking and craftsmanship. Nestled at the village entrance, it showcases the remarkable work of local self-taught sculptor George Koutantos.

Visitors can trace Koutantos’ artistic journey, from his initiation into carving at the tender age of 9 to his present-day masterpieces. It is home to over a hundred handcrafted artworks, with some sculptures rendered in life-size dimensions. Notably, a few of the larger works, like “The Eagle and the Snake”, span 6 meters, while “My Parents and I” stands at 3 meters tall and “The Little Mermaid” stretches 5 meters in length.