The Touristic Info Halkidiki informs: Mount Athos - Monasteries and skites

Moni Dionysiou

Greek-orthodox, Holiday: June 24

The convent is the birthplace of St. John Baptist. It was founded due to a divine vision in 1366AD by the monk Dionysius. At first, it was a small monastic settlement. 

Since 1574AD it takes in the monastery hierarchy the fifth place. In the third Typikon of Athos in the year 1394, it was in the fourteenth place, but they were 25 monasteries on the Holy Mountain. 

The monastery is the home of the "Golden Bull" of Emperor Alexios III. Komnenos. This must not in any way be confused with the "Golden Bull" of Emperor Konstantinos Monomachos. The library can also present about 1,000 handwriting and more than 5,000 publications. 

Remarkable are also the Cretan style frescoes dating back to 1546AD and the 1547AD. These are located in the monastery church and the refectory. Among them are world famous, as the motives of the Apocalypse. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire, the monastery was supported by the Prince of Moldavia and Wallachia. From this period we also have today the 25-meter high tower, which was built in 1520AD. 

A fire in 1535AD destroyed almost the entire monastery. Except from the tower and the foundations of the Katholikon there was not much left. Grand Duke Peter IV Rares (1527AD-1546AD) rebuild the monastery. 

The monks were able to save from the fire one of the most important icons, Marie. This will be one of the Evangelist Luke painted pictures act of grace. 

In this convent there are quite pious monks and the adventure-story tower on the outer walls of the building is 80 meters above the sea. 
The geographical situation of the surrounding rock makes it possible to build only upwards.