A point of reference, not only for Patmos, but for the whole of Greece and Orthodox Christianity, the monastery of Saint John the Theologian stands imposing in the entrance of Chora. The most important place of pilgrimage for the whole of Christianity together with the Sacred Cave of the Apocalypse and Chora of Patmos were declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1999.
Its foundation is attributed to Saint Christodoulos, to whom Patmos was ceded in 1088 by Alexius A Comnenus in order for him to establish a monastery in honor of the Evangelist. Built as a medieval castle with battlements, the monastery is inextricably linked with the history and development of the island.
According to archeological finds, the monastery was built on the ruins of the ancient temple of Artemis and an ancient Christian basilica. The monastery is surrounded by an irregular, rectangular defensive enclosure built gradually from the late 11th to the early 17th century. From the Byzantine period until today the church, the bank, the fireplace and the cells of the monks survive.
At the church the chancel screen and the 17th-century frescoes stand out, while at the bank your attention will be drawn to both the frescoes and marble dining tables of the monks. If you climb up to the level of the cells, you can enjoy from up close the arches of the Abbey and views of the paved yard.
From the chapels located inside the enclosure are those of the Holy Apostles, the Virgin Mary, with its 12th-century frescoes, and of Saint Christodoulos, which was built in 1093 and houses the tabernacle of the founder of the monastery.