Because this peninsula is a monastic state, it is the
area with the most monasteries of Halkidiki. The number
of the monasteries is fixed at 20 by the Constitution
of the theocratic republic of Athos which does not allow
the foundation of other monasteries.
Here are the twenty monasteries, in hierarchical order:
| The
Monastery of the Great Lavra |
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This is the largest monastery and the first in the monastic
hierarchy. It was the first monastery to be founded by
Saint Athanasios the Athonite, in 957, whose relics are
lying in a tomb in the chapel of the Forty Martyrs. The
monastery was richly endowed by many Byzantine emperors
and had its walls painted and its murals made by Cretan
painters.
In the library of the monastery are preciously kept 2500
manuscripts and 20000 printed books. In the sacristy are
kept precious objects such as precious relics, Gospel
covers, crosses, portable icons and holy vessels.
The monastery of the Great Lavra is dedicated to Saint
Athanasios, its founder.
Located on a picturesque bay on the north-eastern side
of the peninsula of Athos, this monastery reminds of a
fortress. It is dedicated to the Annunciation. Historical
sources date it to around 972 AD and attribute its foundation
to the saints Athanasios, Antonios and Nikolaos.
Its catholicon dates from the 10th century and has frescoes
from the 14th century and mosaics from the 11th and 14th
centuries.
In the north- east of the monastery stands one of the
surviving towers of the fortified enclosure, the high
16th century tower of the Virgin Mary.
In the monastery are kept many valuable works of art such
as rare relics, portable icons, holy vessels, illustrated
Gospels, gold-embroidered vestments, more than 2000 manuscripts
and over 25000 other printed volumes.
This monastery is located in a little bay, on the north-
east of Mont Athos. It is dedicated to the Dormition of
the Virgin. It was founded during the late 10th century
by Ioannes Thornikios.
The catholicon was built in the first half of the 11th
century and its murals date from the 16th and 19th centuries.
Priceless treasures are kept in the sacristy and in the
library are carefully kept precious imperial and patriarchal
documents, over 2000 manuscripts and over 20000 printed
books.
Dedicated
to the Presentation of the Virgin, this monastery also
stands on the north-east of Athos, in the middle of dense
forests. It was founded by the Serbian ruler Stephen Nemanja
and his son.
The monastery reminds of a strong fortress surrounding
by strong walls and towers.
The catholicon of the monastery was built in the early
14th century.
Many important relics are kept in the monastery, precious
treasures like portable icons (many dating from the Byzantine
period), crosses with precious stones, embroidered vestments,
cloths, documents, codices and printed books.
This monastery
was founded by the Blessed Dionysios, in the 14th century.
It is dedicated to the Birth of Saint John the Baptist.
Its catholicon was built and decorated between 1537 and
1547, and the iconostasis which is inside, dates from
the 18th century and is gilded with pure gold.
Important icons, relics, manuscripts and printed books
are kept in the monastery.
This monastery is dedicated to the Transfiguration of
the Lord and owns its name to its founder.
Its catholicon was built in 1540. In the sacristy are
kept valuable treasures such as portable icons, holy vestments,
holy vessels and crosses.
In the library are kept manuscripts, some written on parchment,
documents and printed books.
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rare manuscripts and printed books.
Built on the slopes of a wooded mountain,
this Monastery is an impressive building complex. Its
catholicon is dedicated to the Forty Martyrs and was built
during 1761 and 1763. The monastery is keeping many precious
relics such as the largest piece of the True Cross in
the world, Episcopal staffs, gold embroider vestments,
holy vessels, manuscripts, printed books and the famous
steatite paten known as the paten of Pulcheria.
This Bulgarian monastery was founded by three monks in
the 10th century. According to legend it was named after
the icon of Saint George which was mysteriously found
painted on a wooden panel, found inside the catholicon
by the three monks. Thus, the monastery is dedicated to
Saint George. A cenotaph, in the middle of the courtyard
commemorates the martyrdom of 26 ant Unitarian monks who
were burnt in 1873 by the Unitarian ones, in favour of
the unification of the East and West Churches.
The monastery keeps two icons of Saint George, of which
the one is called “the one not having been made by human
hands”, an icon of the Virgin, portable icons, vestments,
holy vessels, Greek and Slav manuscripts and over 8000
printed books (most of them are in Bulgarian).
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This monastery was built on the southwest coast of the
peninsula of Athos. Its catholicon is dedicated to the
Archangels Michael and Gabriel and was built in the 16th
century by Alexander (the ruler of Moldowallachia) and
his wife. Among the precious relics kept by the monastery
are the icon of the Virgin Gorgoepikoos, a fragment of
the True Cross, holy vessels, vestments, gold-embroided
cloths, chalices, manuscripts and many printed books.
On the north-eastern side of Athos, 200 metres above the
Aegean Sea, is the fortress complex of the Karakalou Monastery,
dedicated to the Apostles Peter (Petros) and Paul (Pavlos).
The monastery was probably founded by a monk named Karakalas,
during the 11th century. Its catholicon was built in 1548.
Among the relics of the monastery are fragments of the
True Cross, vestments. Holy vessels, portable icons, chrysobulls,
manuscripts (which many are on parchment) and printed
books.
This monastery was probably found
during the 10th century and is dedicated to the Annunciation
of the Virgin. Its catholicon was built in 1746 and its
frescoes were finished in 1752.
The monastery keeps the icon of the Virgin Glykophilousa,
a fragment of the True Cross, relics of saints, crosses,
holy vessels, vestments, manuscripts, parchment and a
precious tetra evangel representing Saint Mark the Evangelist.
One of the most impressive monasteries
of Athos, built on the south-western side of the peninsula,
at 200 metres above the sea. It is dedicated to the Nativity
of Christ and was founded in the middle of the 13th century.
It was destroyed many times by natural damages and restore
by funds from Russia. The monastery keeps fragment of
the True Cross, relics of saints, gold-embroided vestments,
holy vessels, crosses, Gospels covers, portable icons
and many other precious relics.
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diptych, portable icons, manuscripts and printed books.
This is the smallest monastery of the peninsula of Athos.
It is dedicated to Saint Nicholas and its small catholicon
was built in the middle of the 16th century. Its aqueduct
was built in 1680.
The monastery has a particularly prized icon of Saint
Nicholas Streidas, a 16th century Dodekaorton on the iconostasis,
relics of saints, holy
vessels, embroided vestments and many manuscripts
and printed books.
This monastery is dedicated to Saint George and was founded
in the 10th century by Hosios Xenophon.
It has the largest catholicon of all the Mont Athos’ monasteries,
adorned with an amazing marble iconostasis.
Among the treasures of the monastery are the two magnificent
mosaic icons of Saint George and Saint Dimitrios, a small
icon representing the Transfiguration, a fragment of the
True Cross, relics of saints, richly-embroided vestments,
holy vessels, precious manuscripts, of which some are
on parchment and many printed books.
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Standing on the south-western side of the peninsula, this
monastery is dedicated to Saint Nicholas and date to the
14th century.
Its relics include prized portable icons, the icons of
the Virgin Galaktotrophousa and of the Virgin Pantanassa,
a fragment of the True Cross, relics of saints, holy vessels,
crosses, Gospels covers, embroidered vestments and two
gold-embroidered “epitaphioi” (tomb of the Christ).
Its library contains manuscripts from which some are on
parchment, among which is the only existing manuscript
copy of the Shepherd of Hermas, a hortatory and prophetic
work dating from the 1st century AD, printed books, official
documents and sigils.
| Saint
Panteleimon Monastery |
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This huge Russian monastery was built in a small bay,
at the end of the 18th century by Russian monks. Its catholicon
was built between 1812 and 1821. Its roof consists of
8 onion-shaped domes painted in bright green and golden
yellow.
The interior of the catholicon is decorated with Russian-style
murals from the 19th century and has an iconostasis of
Russian origin.
Among its treasures, the monastery has portable icons,
fragments of the True Cross, vestments, crosses, pectoral
crosses, relics of saints, a chalice and a precious illuminated
Gospel.
The library of the monastery keeps 1320 Greek manuscripts,
600 Slav manuscripts, some parchment leaves and many printed
books in Greek and Russian.
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Hidden by the
dense vegetation this monastery was destroyed by Catalans
in the 14th century.
Its catholicon was built in between 1860 and 1871 on the
ruins of an older church and is dedicated to Saint Stephanos;
it has a marble floor and a marble iconostasis.
Some of the monastery’s relics are a 16th century icon
of Saint Stephanos, a fragment of the True Cross, relics
of saints in reliquaries, crosses, holy vessels and vestments,
a Byzantine epithaphios, a Gospel in silver and gold,
lead bulls and chrysobulls.
In the library are kept manuscripts of which some are
on parchment and many rare printed books.
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