Docheiariou Monastery

The Holy Monastery of Docheiariou is the first seaside monastery encountered by anyone coming from Ouranoupolis. It is one of the oldest Monasteries on Mount Athos and is considered one of the most beautiful and elegant architecturally, with the characteristic square tower 28 meters high that stands out in the monastery complex. Founded on sloping ground with "bold" buildings, it resembles an island-building complex with its amphitheatric place by the sea.

The Monastery was founded in the 10th century by the monk Efthymios, who had the role of "potter", ie the storekeeper, in the Monastery of Megisti Lavra under Saint Athanasios. It received the name "Docheiariou" from its founder and was originally dedicated to Saint Nikolaos. Later, it was dedicated to the Archangels Michael and Gabriel and is known as the "Monastery of the Archangels". It experienced great prosperity over the centuries and is famous for the fresco of the Virgin of "Gorgoypikou", which is located in a special chapel.

The katholikon was built in 1568 and has a great fresco of the 16th and 17th centuries, which includes works by the Cretan hagiographer George. The monastery has 9 chapels, while it has an important library with important historical documents, 441 manuscripts, and 3,000 books.