The monastery of Astratigos is located at a two-kilometer distance from the settlement of Karkadiotissa and at a close distance from the still operating monastery of Agios Georgios Epanosifis. Only its main temple (“Katholikon”) survives to this day. It is a cruciform church, one of the few in Crete where the transversal aisle is lower than the longitudinal one. It was built after 961 presumably during the reign of Nikephoros Phokas and had gone through several building phases, with the oldest being the one we see in the Sanctuary, while there are two layers in its iconography. Unfortunately, its frescoes that date back to 14th-16th centuries, are not preserved in good condition, due to humidity and the ravages of time.

The original layout of the monastery was altered over the years since it functioned as a sheep and goat paddock for long periods of time. From its ruins, it appears that it was a small monastic complex possibly with fortification. The historical events that led to its foundation and subordination to the Epanosifi monastery are not known. However, there is evidence that Astratagos existed before Epanosifis. The plague epidemic of 1655 seems to have played an important role in the demise of the monastery. Researchers assume that it was then when the surviving monks abandoned Astratigos and moved to Epanosifis.