AGION OROS

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Peninsula of Athos, known as the "Mount Athos", is full of Monasteries and religious centres but full of wonderful landscapes too.

HISTORY - CULTURE

Since the 10C, the peninsula has been a sort monastic centre, the creation of which has never been clarified.

The first community of monks was established by St Athanasius of Trebizond in 963 AD.

Other communities joined the Holy Mountain from the 12C onwards, establishing by the 16C about 30 monasteries.

Between the 13th and the 15th century, the "monastic state" was persecuted by Latin invasions, and in 1453, it was conquered by the Turks, who brought to court some monks and destroyed some monasteries, without however, really downgrading the spiritual activity in the mountain.

Today, 20 Monasteries are still active (17 Greek one and three foreign ones). They are autonomous and administrated by the "Saint community" based in Karies.

SIGHTS

The brilliance, the importance and the religious devoutness that characterise all the Monasteries in combination with the incredible beauty of the place (forests, gorges, precipices, caverns, sources etc. ...) leave no place for a selection of sites.

The Holy Mountain has its own unique atmosphere; it is a place where one feels very near to God...

ENTERTAINMENT - SPORTS - SHOPPING

The monastic austerity does not leave any place for that sort of luxury...

The monks only made provisions for guests rooms in the monasteries and visitors can buy traditional and religious articles.

ACCESS

Regular services from the harbours of Ierissos and Ouranoupolis, more frequent in summer.

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS:

Ierissos harbour authorities: +30 377 22576

Ouranoupolis harbour authorities: +30 377 71248.

MONASTERIES

Agiou Pavlou - Vatopediou - Grigoriou - Dionyssiou - Dochiariou - Esphigmenou - Zographou (Bulgarian) - Iviron - Karakalou - Koutloumousiou - Kostamonitou - Megistis Lavras - Xenofondos - Xiropotamou - Panteleimonos (Russian) - Pandokratoros - Simonos Petras - Stavronikita - Philotheou - Chiliandariou (Serbian)