Loukou

Convent of Transfiguration (Loukou)

Loukou convent is situated on the road Tripoli – Astros. It has a well-preserved 11th century church from the Byzantine era, which hosts a miraculous icon of the Saviour. It was probably built on the site of an Early Christian church of the 5th century AD. The monastery had always been male until 1946 that turned into a female.

The monastery has a library of important historical manuscripts and codes. In the courtyard of the convent there are sculptures from the nearby Herodes Atticus’ villa and others with elaborate decorations from the ancient sanctuary. A few meters from the monastery there is a Roman aqueduct with characteristic arches.

Distance: 7 km (about 10’)

Paleopanagia

Convent of the Virgin Paleopanagia

In the first turns of the road from Astros town to Agios Petros village, travelers can visit the Paleopanagia convent, dedicated to the Virgin Mary (the Holy Merciful). From a nearby turn, a good dirt-road leads to its gate. The today’s female monastery keeps its original character with only a few recent interventions. The first historical mentions of the monastery reach back to 1612, or even 1310, while the church was built in 1814 .

Distance: 8 km (about 10’)

Malevi

Convent of the Virgin Malevi

Near the top of Mount Parnon (or else called Malevos, out of which the name ‘Malevi’) a monastery was created in 717 AD in honor of the Virgin Mary. N. Terzakis named Nile lived an ascetic life in it from 1601 to 1651. His holiness was reveled after his death and it is now celebrated in his hometown in Agios Petros village on May 7th and in Malevi monastery on November 12th based on the date of his Dormition. The monastery has one miraculous icon, out of the total 70 painted by the Evangelist Luke, which springs Holy Oil from 1964, thanks to which many patients have found their cure. The monastery turned to a convent in 1949.

Distance: 32 km (about 40’)

Prodromou

Monastery of St. John the Baptist (Prodromou)

Considered as the oldest one in the Peloponnese Prodromou monastery dates probably to the 1126 AD and has therefore rich history. The monastery was built on a very impressive rocky slope, dedicated to John the Baptist. It is situated in the gorge of Tanos river near Perdikovrissi village (Kastri area). Because of its inaccessible location it was used as a shelter base against Ibrahim during the Greek War of Independence; its watermill was indeed used to grid gunpowder for the needs of the revolution. It is the only monastery that withstood the siege by Ibrahim, who tried to conquer it twice without success.

Distance: 30 km (about 60’)

Elona

Convent of the Virgin Elona

According to tradition, this monastery was created when the icon of Virgin Mary miraculously appeared to the shepherds of the area, who found the icon on the huge red rocks of Mount Parnon in front of a lit candle. Unable to reach the specific point they were praying all day and night under the steep rock and at down found the icon lower, where they finally built the church of the monastery. In 1809 the old temple was rebuilt, housing the present simple rectangular church. Since 1972 the monastery operates as a convent. Visitors praying in front of the icon testify plenty of miracles.

Distance: 70 km (about 90’)

Artokostas

Convent of Virgin Artokostas (or Orthokostas)

The Artokostas traditional monastery forms one of the oldest and most representative monastic centres in Kynouria. Visitors find the present convent travelling through the rocky slopes of Mount Parnon towards Prastos village. Northeast from the operating monastery are the ruins of the old byzantine monastery, known as ‘Kato Panagia’. It remains unknown why the old monastery was abandoned and a new one was built on a higher level. The initial monastery in honor of Virgin Mary was the largest and the most significant in Tsakonia.

Distance: 25 km (about 30’)

Karyas

Monastery of St Nicholas

Near the Artokostas convent and on the road to Prastos lies the monastery in honor of St Nicholas. Resembling Mount Athos monasteries in style it was built in 1580 AD by monks of Karyes in Athos, who found resort there in order to save themselves from the Muslims. According to another version, the monastery was built in 1620-21 AD. The monastery is known mainly because of the special paintings of Georgios Moschos in 1638. In 1970 the monastery converted to a convent, as a dependency of Loukous convent; it remained inoperative until 1993, when it was reestablished.

Distance: 25 km (about 30’)