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The silence and meditation of Orthodox monks
An enchanted, mysterious and fascinating place, dedicated to prayer and devotion. Mount Athos is the easternmost peninsula of Chalkidiki, an autonomous territory of Greece with a thousand-year history, populated by Orthodox monks. Entry is permitted only to men.
This strip of land is considered sacred by the Orthodox Church: there are 20 monasteries - of which 17 are Greek, one Russian, one Serbian and one Bulgarian - built on the top of small hills. They house priceless treasures of Christian art, such as frescoes, mosaics, ancient books and icons of the highest value.
It is the home of Orthodox hermit monks, a rule approved by the Eastern Emperor Constantine. The history of Mount Athos begins in 963 AD, when St. Athanasius founded the oldest of the monasteries present, today called the Great Lavra. Only the monastic community, which today has about 3,000 religious, can reside on the peninsula. The rhythms of life have remained unchanged for centuries, marked by the succession of hours of prayer. The territory has remained intact and uncontaminated, mainly mountainous: the highest peak reaches 2,000 meters above sea level; the vegetation is lush. It is undoubtedly one of the most unique places in the world, completely closed in on itself. It is the realm of silence and prayer, but also a community governed by strict rules. The college that administers this Greek region populated only by monks does not, in the most intransigent manner, allow entry to female people or animals, due to a law dating back to 1046. A boat with a woman on board cannot approach it for more than 500 m to the coast, only observing the monasteries overlooking the sea from a distance. Even today, among the valleys of the entire peninsula, monastic rules are in force not far from the ancient medieval orders.
The landscape is made up of centuries-old woods crossed by impervious paths on the mountain coasts, which flow into the crystalline waters. At the end of the climbs and connected streets, on the slopes of majestic rocks, lies the hospitality of the monasteries, in imposing religious monuments and fortified castles. Only male laymen can visit Mount Athos only after obtaining a special permit. The monks welcome pilgrims into their monasteries, giving priority to the Orthodox (for those belonging to other religions no more than 10 entries per day are allowed, subject to specifying the reason). The visa application can take months to be accepted. Once permission to enter has been obtained, the tourist/pilgrim then contacts the monasteries he wishes to visit, to agree on the dates of the overnight stay (which cannot be longer than 4 days). One of the largest and richest monasteries is that of San Panteleimon, built by monks of Russian origin. The peninsula can only be reached by sea, with a ferry leaving from Ouranopolis, the last city on the border with the monastic republic, which leads to the small port of Dfani, in the center of the peninsula. Dfani is a small village of 300 souls, dedicated to bureaucratic functions and seat of the consulate.
Where it is located and how to reach Mount Athos
Where it is: it is the "third finger" of the Chalkidika peninsula, the easternmost tip, in northern Greece.
How big it is: it has an area of 335 km2, is 50 km long and 7 to 12 km wide.
By plane: Thessaloniki Airport, transfer to Ouranopolis, then by sea to Dfani.
More information, useful advice and curiosities in the travel documents that will be sent before departure.
An enchanted, mysterious and fascinating place, dedicated to prayer and devotion. Mount Athos is the easternmost peninsula of Chalkidiki, an autonomous territory of Greece with a thousand-year history, populated by Orthodox monks. Entry is permitted only to men.
This strip of land is considered sacred by the Orthodox Church: there are 20 monasteries - of which 17 are Greek, one Russian, one Serbian and one Bulgarian - built on the top of small hills. They house priceless treasures of Christian art, such as frescoes, mosaics, ancient books and icons of the highest value.
It is the home of Orthodox hermit monks, a rule approved by the Eastern Emperor Constantine. The history of Mount Athos begins in 963 AD, when St. Athanasius founded the oldest of the monasteries present, today called the Great Lavra. Only the monastic community, which today has about 3,000 religious, can reside on the peninsula. The rhythms of life have remained unchanged for centuries, marked by the succession of hours of prayer. The territory has remained intact and uncontaminated, mainly mountainous: the highest peak reaches 2,000 meters above sea level; the vegetation is lush. It is undoubtedly one of the most unique places in the world, completely closed in on itself. It is the realm of silence and prayer, but also a community governed by strict rules. The college that administers this Greek region populated only by monks does not, in the most intransigent manner, allow entry to female people or animals, due to a law dating back to 1046. A boat with a woman on board cannot approach it for more than 500 m to the coast, only observing the monasteries overlooking the sea from a distance. Even today, among the valleys of the entire peninsula, monastic rules are in force not far from the ancient medieval orders.
The landscape is made up of centuries-old woods crossed by impervious paths on the mountain coasts, which flow into the crystalline waters. At the end of the climbs and connected streets, on the slopes of majestic rocks, lies the hospitality of the monasteries, in imposing religious monuments and fortified castles. Only male laymen can visit Mount Athos only after obtaining a special permit. The monks welcome pilgrims into their monasteries, giving priority to the Orthodox (for those belonging to other religions no more than 10 entries per day are allowed, subject to specifying the reason). The visa application can take months to be accepted. Once permission to enter has been obtained, the tourist/pilgrim then contacts the monasteries he wishes to visit, to agree on the dates of the overnight stay (which cannot be longer than 4 days). One of the largest and richest monasteries is that of San Panteleimon, built by monks of Russian origin. The peninsula can only be reached by sea, with a ferry leaving from Ouranopolis, the last city on the border with the monastic republic, which leads to the small port of Dfani, in the center of the peninsula. Dfani is a small village of 300 souls, dedicated to bureaucratic functions and seat of the consulate.
Where it is located and how to reach Mount Athos
Where it is: it is the "third finger" of the Chalkidika peninsula, the easternmost tip, in northern Greece.
How big it is: it has an area of 335 km2, is 50 km long and 7 to 12 km wide.
By plane: Thessaloniki Airport, transfer to Ouranopolis, then by sea to Dfani.
More information, useful advice and curiosities in the travel documents that will be sent before departure.