The Holy Mount Athos ... Monasteries

The monasteries in itself nearly have all the same basic architecture. Thus the external complexes are built mostly good as fortress, often even with military piling, parapets and merlons. Thereby one could not always defend himself in the past often - unfortunately - successfully against pirate's attacks. The construction of the monasteries is ordinarily put on rectangular. Outside the military walls, inside the courts with the catholicons, the minsters which always dispose of a cross dome with half-round apsides. In between there lie in each case the communal spaces and monk's cells.

Who has to visit the intention a monastery or to spend the night even there, is well consulted, by the way to announce itself before by telephone. Since now and then visitors fit the monks to certain times not at all in the junk, or the guest beds are already covered entirely. The prefix for the Athos is 0377, the phone numbers of the monasteries are given with the descriptions.

In the following the monasteries are not alphabetically, but after the hierarchical order of rank usual in the monk's republic from 1 to 20 are listed. This exists since the 16. Century until today unchanged and was confirmed through the Typikon of the year 1783.

Moni Megistis Lavra (greek-orthodox; holiday: 5th July; phone: 23770-23751)
The 963 founded cloister is not only the oldest on the Athos, but also the most famous one as well as the most venerable one. It is at 150-meter height on a cliff plateau on the southeast coast and with it immediately on the foot of the mountain Athos.
The founder, which monk Othios Athanasios (to whom it is also consecrated) should have been killed with the construction of the minster. Anyway the construction style looks anyhow medieval, because the cloister disposes of all kinds of towers and military walls.
The walls of the cloister spaces are partially decorated with splendid paintings by Theophánes from the year 1535 and Phrangos Katelanos from the year 1560. In the minster frescoes are from the year 1535 which were painted in cretic style. In the library of the cloister numerous historically valuable handwritings, books and other documents are kept.
Moni Vatopediou (greek-orthodox; holiday: 25th march; phone: 23770-23219)
The biggest cloister of the monk's republic was founded between 972 and 985. It is consecrated to the announcement Marias. It lies on the east coast and impresses by a military tower with merlons as well as a nearly 200 meter long aquatic front of the triangular complex what reminds anyhow of a medieval town.
It should accommodate about 1.800 old handwritings as well as about 10.000 precious books. In the minster frescoes from the 14th and 15th century are to be admired beside monumental mosaics from the 11th and 12th century also.
Here one is directed, by the way, not - as usual on the Athos usual - by the julianic, but after our gregorianc calendar.
Moni Iviron (greek-orthodox; holiday: 15th august; phone: 23770-23643)
The tallness cloister lies in next with the capital Karies. Hence, it also does not surprise that it is visited a lot by pilgrims. It lies in a marvelous position immediately on the east coast. It is consecrated the dormition of the mother of god.
The 980 founded cloister accommodates an extremely valuable treasure which is often evaluated as the most significant library of the Athos. Besides, it concerns several handwritings from the 13th century as well as unreplaceable venetian first pressure of greek classical authors from the 15th century. This collection could be saved in 1865 when the cloister from the foundation walls burned down.
In addition, in the chapel Portaissa some interesting frescoes from the 17th century are. These point namely some persons of the pagan antiquity which are shown as a special wise and worldly predecessor of the Christianity. Among them Alexander of the majorities, Aristoteles, Darius, Plato, Sophokles and Thukydides.
Moni Chilandariou (serbian-orthodox; holiday: 21th november; phone: 23770-23281)
The around 1197 founded cloister lies to the land border, which separates the monk's republic from the worldly part of the peninsula, in the next. It lies good as fortress in a thick-wooded valley kettle and is consecrated to the virgin Maria.
It accommodates a collection of old icons, a marvelous altar book and various valuable crystal vessels, all from the 14th century. The minster is decorated with frescoes of 1320 and in the refectory mural paintings are to be seen which come from the year 1623 and were sketched in serbian style.
However, at night from 6th on 7th march 2004 valuable mural paintings from the 18th and 19th century became a robbery of the flames. Indeed, many icons, handwritings and frescoes could be saved, only the material damage, nevertheless, amounts to nearly 10 million euros not to talk from the ideal one at all only. Besides, the monks had to leave the cloister, because the enclosure was destroyed by the fire up to half. However, Serbia and the serbian-orthodox church want to restore the cloister.
Moni Dionysiou (greek-orthodox; holiday: 24th june; phone: 23770-23687)
The cloister is consecrated to the birth of the saint Johannes Baptist. It was founded 1366 and accommodates the "golden bull" from emperor Alexios III who contains the cloister endowment of 1374. Nevertheless, this is to be mistaken by no means for that "golden bull" from emperor Konstantinos Monomachos, who contains since 1060 the rights of the monk's republic. However, the library can also show farther about 1.000 hands and more than 5.000 block letters.
Frescoes in the cretic style from 1546 and 1547 are noteworthy also. These are in the minster and in the refectory. Among them also world-famous motives like that of the Apocalypse.
In this cloister apparently rather god-fearing monks live, because some of the floors rise adventurously above the outside walls of the building directly after the sea contained at 80-meter depth. To the fact comes that several these parts of the building are carried only by spread beams from wood.
Moni Koutloumousiou (greek-orthodox; holiday: 6th august; phone: 23770-23226)
Around 1150 this cloister was founded and is not definitely who was responsible for it. The Greeks assume, in any case, from the fact that it has been an african monk, because "the saint from Ethiopia" signifies so much like the name Koutloumous. The other possibility would be that the seltchuc-turkic prince's family Kutlumus founded the cloister. It is consecrated, in any case, the transfiguration of Christ.
Anyway a marvelous wood-carved temple and numerous mural paintings from the 16th century exist there. In the minster there is an interesting fresco cycle from the 18th century, "the whole mind world praises man" with goblins, explains to a unicorn and even a naked-breast feminine centaur.
Moni Pandokratoros (greek-orthodox; holiday: 6th august; phone: 23770-23880)
The brothers Alexios and Johannes Strategopoulos founded this cloister in the 14th century. Alexios was involved under emperor Michael VIII in the back conquest of Constantinople. The transfiguration of Christ is consecrated.
Inside it has not only about 400 old handwritings and just 3.500 books, but as relics also the right foot as well as a leg of the apostle Andreas.
Moni Xiropotamou (greek-orthodox; holiday: 9th march; phone: 23770-23251)
In the year 956 the virgin Poulcheria, daughter of the emperor Arkadios, the cloister should have donated. In the 10th century it was founded by the late Pavlos Xeropotamenos. This was an opponent of the holy Athanasios and probably wanted to offer an alternative to the cloister Megistis Lavra. It is consecrated to the 40 martyrs.
In the 16th and 17th century became the cloister, which lies near the street of Dafni to Karies, repeatedly victim of the pirate's attacks what is to be gone back obviously on the style which has an effect less like a fortress, but more like a big venetian villa.
Moni Zografou (bulgarian-orthodox; holiday: 23th april; phone: 23770-23247)
The cloister was founded in the 9th century by the brothers Aaron, Johannes and Moses from Ochrid. It is consecrated to the holy Georgios.
It lies in the northern central of the peninsula and is inhabited nearly even by elder monks.
Moni Dochiaríou (greek-orthodox; holiday: 8th november; phone: 23770-23245)
In 1030 the most northern cloister is mentioned in the west coast first documentary. It was founded around 950, supposedly by Evthimios, a pupil of the holy Athanasios. First it was consecrated to the holy Nikolaus of Myra, today to the archangels Michael and Gabriel.
Within the minster consecrated in 1568 it has the richest and best fresco jewellery on the Athos. Unfortunately, photos are strict prohibitioned in the cloister!
Moni Karakalou (greek-orthodox; holiday: 29th june; phone: 23770-23225)
The monk Karakalas founded this cloister in the 11th century. It is on east half of the peninsula, off the coast. It is consecrated to the apostles Peter and Paul.
In the library there there are about 150 handwritings and just 2.500 books. Obviously this cloister was substantially bigger in the past time than today. Of it testify, in any case, a military tower and rests of fortress walls which come from the 16th century. The minster and the mural paintings contained there are, in any case, from the 18th century.
Moni Philotheo (greek-orthodox; holiday: 25th march; phone: 23770-23256)
The cloister, whose most buildings come from the 18th century, lies at 533-meter height with the eastern mountains, to the south of the capital Karies. It is consecrated the annunciation of the mother of god.
Special attention owes about 1015 founded cloisters of a construction method going over into each other of two chapels, to the so-called Katholikon. The first documentary mention took place 1021.
Moni Simonos Petras (greek-orthodox; holiday: 25th december; phone: 23770-23254)
The to the birth of Christ consecrated tallness cloister reminds on account of its construction style anyhow of tibetic llama cloisters. It lies in more than 200-meter height on a rather precipitous cliff projection. After a conflagration in 1891 it has mainly been restored after old plans.
Founder the late Simon should have been, by the way, once as an ascetic on the Petra (byzantine: rock) should have lived on which later the cloister was built. Simon called it Nea Vitleem (new Bethlehem), only later it was named after his founder.
However, about the foundation date one is not definitely. Thus are mentioned 1284 as well as 1350.
Moni Agiou Pavlou (greek-orthodox; holiday: 2nd february; phone: 23770-23741)
The candlemas of Jesus consecrated cloister is in the south of the west coast and has been built the summit of the mountain Athos in the next as well as in its foothills. On this occasion, originally it concerned a Skite of the cloister Xiropotamou. It became 1404 then an independent cloister. After a disastrous fire it was anew built about 1902 for the most part.
Beside just 500 valuable writings and more than 12.000 old books the cloister also accommodates the probably treasure most valuable by far of all Athos monasteries, the myrrh grains who were made by the Saints to Three Kings to the Jesus child the present. Interesting are also frescoes from the year 1423 with which the chapel Agios Georgios is decorated.
Moni Stavronikíta (greek-orthodox; holiday: 6th december; phone: 23770-23255)
Name givers of this cloister are the monks Stavros and Nikitas which lived before as a hermit on the Athos. In the matter of foundation time is the speech of the 10th century as well as from 1542.
The most valuable treasure of the cloister is a mosaic icon from the 14th century which hangs on the right choral pillar of the minster and shows the holy Nikolaos to which it is also consecrated.
Unfortunately, it became within a period from 250 years 5 times a victim of heavy fires. The monks have still received it to this day. Anyway the view from is high breathtaking in the middle of the east coast of recumbent cloister.
Moni Xenofondos (greek-orthodox; holiday: 23th april; phone: 23770-23249)
The cloister is directly at the west coast of the peninsula and was already founded around 1083. Name patron is the priest Xenophon who is mentioned in the holy vita of the Athanasios.
The main church of the cloister is the biggest greek-orthodox on the Athos, comes from the 19th century and accommodates two mosaic icons from the 12th century which show the holy Dimitrios and Georgios. It is also consecrated to the latter. A fresco cycle from the 16th century is likewise interesting.
The cloister became a victim of numerous fires. However, in the meantime it was rebuilt nearly completely.
The "Deutsche Grammophon" published in 1996, by the way, a CD with liturgical easter music of this cloister.
Moni Osiou Grigoriou (greek-orthodox; holiday: 6th december; phone: 23770-23668)
The cloister consecrated to the holy Nikolaos comes from the 14th century and is relatively new with it. It lies at the west coast directly near the water.
As one of the most color-splendid buildings of the Athos valid cloister was founded either by the holy Gregorios or his teacher, Gregorios the Sinaite. About 300 old handwritings and about 400 valuable books are kept there.
The minster is provided with mural paintings from the 18th and 19th century. Besides, an icon absolutely unusual for the Athos, namely an about 500 year-old representation of the breastfeeding mother of god (Panagia Galaktotrophoussa) is there.
Moni Esfigmenou (greek-orthodox; holiday: 40th day past eastern; phone: 23770-23282)
The to the Ascension of Christ consecrated cloister was built around 1016. Supposedly it should have been founded by Pulchreria, the sister of emperor Theodosios II. The first documentary mention comes from the year 1030.
In this cloister a copy of the "painter's manual of the Mount Athos" was discovered in the 19th century. Besides, it concerns around an extremely important source to default (in which to themselves the painting monks have to hold), but also to the general understanding of the icon painting.
Moni Agiou Panteleimonos (russian-orthodox; holiday: 27th july; phone: 23770-23252)
The Russian cloister which lies quite right in the middle the west coast was founded around 1030. Once it was one of the richest cloisters on the Athos, because it was supported from Russia financially. Nevertheless, this changed with the Russian October Revolution in 1917. Indeed, in the meantime, the cloister receives again a run of Russian monks, however, this is limited from of the Greek government.
In 1968 a fire destroyed a section of the complex of buildings. However, the damages could be repaired mainly again.
The most imposing possession of the cloister is the icon of the holy Panteleimonos (to which it is also consecrated), to a part of the iconostasis completely coated with gold of the minster.
Moni Konstamonitou (greek-orthodox; holiday: 27th december; phone: 23770-23278)
The cloister is also called Moni Kastamonitou. The two names which it carries come along because one realizes his founder not completely. Either it should have been Konstantin of the majorities or a monk from Kastamone in Asia Minor.
It lies off the sea and was to be seen, actually, as the first cloister at the west coast if it was not hidden between olive groves and chestnut forests. It is consecrated to the holy Stefan.
Anyway it was founded in the 10th century. Nevertheless, most constructions come from the 19th and 20th century.

Skites
Some monks live not in the monasteries, but in Skites. Besides, it concerns monk's settlements similar to village. In each of the houses 3 to 6 monks and/or novices live. Every Skite disposes of an own church or chapel and is escorted by a Prior which is responsible compared with the mother's cloister.

Kellies
Even smaller than Skites are these single lodgings in which likewise at most 6 monks live together. Indeed, they are also subordinated to a cloister, can determine their life-style, however, to a great extent itself.

Hermitages
Once lived on the Athos also many hermits or traveling monks who led a life in absolute asceticism in remote huts or even caves. Nowadays such journeymen are, actually, rather rarely found, but there were them in not at all sometimes so low number.