Kaisariani Monastery
The Byzantine Monastery of the Presentation of the Theotokos on the forested western slope of Mount Hymettus, with a katholikon, a bathhouse and cells.
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About the museum
The archaeological site of Kaisariani Monastery lies on the forested western slope of Mount Hymettus. Its main monument is the Byzantine Monastery of the Presentation of the Theotokos, founded at the end of the 11th or the beginning of the 12th century. Within the fortified enclosure of the monastery, the buildings tell its long history: the church (katholikon) and the bathhouse date from its foundation, while the refectory, the storerooms and the monks’ cells are arranged on various levels around the quiet courtyard.
Impressive is the tower of the Benizelos family, the aristocratic Athenian family that funded in 1682 the frescoes of the narthex, which was added to the katholikon. The monks cultivated olive trees and kept beehives, securing the financial independence of the monastery, which was an important spiritual centre and had a library with a large number of manuscripts. The monastery began to decline in the 18th century, and its operation ceased in 1833 by decree of the Regency of Otto.
A short walk through the forest leads to other points of interest. On the hill of the Taxiarchs, about 400 metres west of the monastery, monuments from the first Christian centuries to the Ottoman period survive: remains of an early Christian basilica and of a Byzantine church, the Frankish church of Saint Mark and the church of the Taxiarchs. About 200 metres south of the monastery lies the holy spring of the Analepsis, while higher up, about 1,500 metres to the north-east, is the Asterios Monastery.
Highlights
- Katholikon with narthex and frescoes of 1682
- Tower of the Benizelos family
- Bathhouse, refectory and cells around the courtyard
- Hill of the Taxiarchs with the Frankish church of Saint Mark
- Holy spring of the Analepsis and forest trail on Hymettus
- Operated by
- Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
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| Reduced | €3 |
Free admission: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and the first and third Sunday of each month from 1 November to 31 March.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By car, the monastery is about 20 minutes from the centre of Athens.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
On site there are toilets.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | The site is located within the forest of Kaisariani; the other monuments on the hill of the Taxiarchs are reached by a short walk. |
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