WELCOME TO MOUNT ATHOS INFORMATION

The Holy Mount Athos is an autonomous and self-governed territory of Greece. It occupies the whole of the third peninsula of Halkidiki Greece, about 50 km in length and having a breadth of 8-12 km covering an area of 330 square kilometers.

In the centre of the peninsula of Mount Athos rise a long range of hills and mountains, culminating in Mount Athos itself, 2,033m above sea level.

The boarder of this monastic state, where it meets the rest of Greece, is marked by an imaginary line drawn from Francocastro on the western coast across to Cape Arapis on the opposite coast, passing close it the foothills of the mountain “Megali Vigla” (Megas Zigos).

Until the 3rd Century BC, many small Greek towns existed on the peninsula of Athos, principally colonies originating from Chalkida and Eretria. The most important of which were Sani, Ouranoupolis, Thisson, Kleones, Dion, Akrathos and Olofixos. Later, these towns declined or were destroyed.

MONASTERIES IN MOUNT ATHOS

View all the monasteries in the Holy Mountain

Monastery Simonos Petras

The seven-stored monastery of Simonopetra is the most bold construction of the peninsula, and is dedicated to the birth of Christ

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Monastery Agios Pandeleimonos

The monks are Greek and Russian, which outnumber the first after 1497. In the 18th c. the monastery is again in greek hands, only to fall back to the Russians in 1875.

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Monastery Iviron

The 16th century has been a period of prosperity for the monastery, and, as result, it has been decorated with splendid painting works

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Monastery Koutloumousiou

The original monastery was built before the 12th century but in the 14th centutry, abbot Chariton of Imvros, receeded to the enlargement of the monastery

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