Μονή της Καλορίτσας

Monastery Kaloritsa

Useful Information

Location:	Drimalia 843 02, Naxos, Greece. (37.0367027, 25.4546672)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Cave Church
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Monastery Kaloritsa, Drimalia 843 02, Tel: +30-22850-31326.
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History

Description

Μονή της Καλορίτσας (Monastery Kaloritsa) is an abandomned cave monastery at the westen slopes of Αη Λιάς (Profitis Ilias) hill (543 m asl). It is reached on a 600 m hike uphill. The trail is not marked very well, but at least there are two signs at the road, south of Bazeos Tower, which mark the staring point. From here it's a 1.8 km hike on a good trail slightly uphill, about 15-minutes.

The monastery is abandoned, but there are walls and the door is still gated. But even if it is not possible to enter, it's possible to look inside through an opening. Nevertheless, a torch is quite helpful. The natural cave is 30 m long and 10 m wide, and it was used as a cave church from the 4th century, after the icon of the Nativity of Christ had been found by a shepherd inside the cave. It has a central arch, a bishop’s throne, frescoes of the pre-iconoclastic and post-iconoclastic periods, and one frescoe depicting the Nativity, created in 1619. Above the cave church are the remains of the monastery, which is dated between the 11th and 13th century. There are the foundations of monastic cells, a bakery and an atrium with suspended arches. The church is still in use but only for certain festivities.