Monasteries and churches of Astypalea

The church of Panaghia Portaitissa in Hora, white with a charming bell tower, stands below the Fortress in Rhodia - a poetic place name taken from the tree which stood in the church's grounds. It is one of the most beautiful churches in the Dodecanese. It was founded by Blessed Anthimos in the mid 18th century. It has a carved wooden iconostasis covered in fine gold leaf, unique for its kind. Tradition says that the icon is an imprint of an icon from Iviron Monastery on Mount Athos. They say that the wood was placed atop the icon and it copied itself. Next to Panaghia church is a small ecclesiastical collection with old icons.
Megali Panaghia church in Hora with its pebbled courtyard. This is part of a complex of five churches which, with the sea as their background, create an enchanting picture.;
Panaghia Flevariotissa Monastery in Hora built in a cave in the side of the hill. Inside the cave lies part of the church supplemented by a building in the Byzantine style. In antiquity this was a place of worship as can be seen from parts taken from older buildings lying around the courtyard. The carved wooden iconostasis is worth viewing.;
Aghios Ioannis Monastery lies 12 km west of Hora and is built in an impressive landscape amid two steep slopes with a view of the sea and the islets of Ktenia, Pontikoussa and Ofidoussa. Below the church are gardens and springs with bubbling water. The streams end up at beaches with crystal clear waters.;
Picturesque chapels:;
Of particular note are Aghios Dimitrios (5 km SW), Aghios Eleftherios (7 km SW), Aghios Panteleimon (9 km W), Aghios Georgios (6.5 Km S) and Aghios Konstantinos (7 km S).
Ascension Chapel (Analipsi) is the oldest in the village of Maltezana.
The church of Panaghia Poulariani lies NE on the way to Vathy. She is the patron of sailors. The rock here is in the shape of the Virgin with child in her embrace. According to tradition, during bad weather the lights come on. The church can be reached by boat or by footpath.;
Panaghia chapel lies ruined on the road to Vathy.
Aghios Nikolaos church stands on a hill in Mesa Vathy.
The churches of Aghios Ioannis in Exo Vathy and Panaghia Thomiani are worth visiting.
There are also ruins of a Paleo-Christian Basilica on Aghios Vasilios Hill in Livadia

Greek islands

Pictures from the Greek islands
Rhodes Rhodes photos Kos Patmos Astypalea Leros Kalymnos Kastelorizo Symi Karpathos Nisyros Lipsi Paros Naxos Sifnos Serifos Kythnos Crete Samos Tilos Agathonisi Halki fishing boats Greek Ferries Greek landscapes