Chrysoskalitissa Monastery
History
Legend has it that the last step up to this Monastery was once made of solid gold but was given to the Sultan during the Ottoman rule in loo of taxes. There are 98 steps up to the top where you will find a small church with beautiful icons and stunning views of the sea which it sits precariously above and the surrounding mountains behind. By the way, Chrysoskalitissa means ‘carved on gold’.
Legends
The Monastery dates back as far as 726AD and was founded here because a farmer found an icon of the Virgin in a niche in the rocks. The buildings you see today date back to the 19th century.
It’s also legend that during a raid on Easter Day 1824 by the Turk/Egyptian army, the soldiers were attacked by a swarm of bees, the armies retreated and the Monastery was saved.
Museums
There is a small Byzantine museum and a Fokelore museum on site, both a very small and only open in high season. Entry is only €2 each.
WWII
During the last world war the building was commandeered by the Germans, the damage to the church was caused by British fighter planes firing on the Monastery. You can see where the bullet holes have been plastered over.
We used Google drive for directions as it’s very accurate. My husband was navigator and at one point said, ‘I won’t tell you when there is a bend coming up as the road ahead just looks like a pile of spaghetti on a plate, I’ll just tell you when the bends are 90 degrees!’
If you like driving windy roads you’ll love this journey. The views through Topolia Gorge are worth stopping off for too.
