Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Chrysoleontissa (Panagia Chrysoleontissa)-Aegina

On a verdant plateau surrounded by mountains, in the center of Aegina, there is the most important monastery of the island, dedicated to its patroness, Panagia Chrysoleontissa. It was founded around 1600 in order to house the icon of Panagia Chrysoleontissa. Up until then, the icon was located in the seaside monastery of St. Leontios which is near the village of Leonti, but it was repeatedly destroying by pirates, so its monks fled to this more protected area away from the sea. The new monastery was founded in the period 1600-1614. The complex has preserved the same fortress look as it was since the 17th century. It has a square plan and is surrounded by tall cell buildings with turrets, battlements and small windows placed high up. In its center rises the three-story fortified tower that dates back to 1610, while next to it, on the highest level, there is the catholicon that dates back to 1808 and was built on the site of an older one, which was destroyed by an earthquake and fire. It is a three-aisled basilica, dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, Saint Dionysios and Saint Charalambos. Inside, the impressive beautiful wood-carved iconostasis of 1814 and the silver-plated icon of Chrysoleontissa, it is said to date back to the 15th or 16th century. In 1935, it was converted into women's monastery. A special experience is the day of celebration of the monastery, on August 15, where the biggest festival of the island takes place.