Monastery Koimiseos Theotokou Ierousalim: An Orthodox Monastery in Greece
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.9
- Popularity
- Low
- Country
- Greece
- Primary era
- Medieval
- External website
- Open
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Byzantine
- Site type
- Religious
- Remains
- Fortified Monastery
History
Monastery Koimiseos Theotokou Ierousalim is an Orthodox Christian monastery in Greece, near Davleia in Boeotia, traditionally dated to the eleventh century. It is affiliated with the Greek Orthodox Church and falls under the ecclesiastical authority of the Holy Metropolis of Thebes and Livadeia.
The monastery is dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos, a Greek Christian title for Mary meaning “God-bearer.” The Dormition refers to the Christian tradition concerning her death and assumption. Its annual feast is held on 23 August.
During the eighteenth century, the monastery was under the authority of the Monastery of Sinai, the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai. In 1770, an uprising brought an Albanian raid that damaged the complex. Repairs followed in the succeeding years.
In recent years, the monastery claimed 17,000 stremmata of land in the Parnassus area from the state. A stremma is a traditional Greek unit of area equal to approximately 1,000 square metres. The claim met strong opposition from local bodies and part of the press.
Remains
The monastery stands about 5 kilometres from Davleia on the southern slopes of Mount Parnassus, at approximately 900 metres above sea level. It occupies a vegetation-covered slope dominated by fir trees. A rectangular enclosure is surrounded by high, substantial walls with the appearance of medieval fortifications. At the centre of the enclosure stands a cruciform church, while camps operate beside the monastery.
