Mount Athos, located on the Chalkidike peninsula near Thessalonica, Greece, is a holy site which first saw hermit monks living there in the 9th century CE. Regarded as one of the most important monastic sites in the Byzantine Empire, there were at one time 46 monasteries on the mountain, which attracted monks from all over Europe and beyond. Today the peninsula boasts 20 monasteries, many of which offer a well-preserved glimpse into Byzantine monasticism as well as being treasuries of medieval Christian architecture, art, and manuscripts. Mount Athos is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
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Definition
Timeline
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883A decree by Byzantine emperor Basil I is the first recorded evidence of a monastery on Mount Athos.
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941Byzantine Emperor Romanos I grants pension rights to the monks on Mount Athos.
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963The Great Lavra monastery on Mount Athos is founded by Saint Athanasios.
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c. 980The Iviron monastery on Mount Athos is founded by Georgian monks.
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1304 - 1309Spanish mercenaries of the Catalan Grand Company attack the monasteries on Mount Athos.
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1430The Ottoman Empire grants Mount Athos and its monasteries independence in exchange for annual tribute.
