Panagia Skopiotissa Monastery

Zakynthos, Greece

The monastery of Panagia Skopiotissa is located near the top of Mount Skopos in south-eastern Zakynthos. The monastery was constructed in 1624 within the ruins of an older monastery. The whole complex also acted as a watchtower for Zakynthos Town and a larger part of the island. The older monastery is thought to have been built on the site of an ancient temple to the Greek goddess, Artemis. The course is surrounded by the characteristic mediterranian vegetation and Maquis of the Ionian Islands. The katholikon (main church of the monastery) of the monastery of Panagia Skopiotissa is built according according to a Greek cross-plan with some small variations and a somewhat oval-shaped dome with eight sides. Interestingly, the general architectural style of the katholikon more closely resembles post-Byzantine designs similar to churches built in the Cyclades rather than the design preferred locally like the typical single-aisled basilica plan exemplified by Agios Nikolaos to Molou in Zakynthos Town. However, the oval-shaped dome references more Western traditions.

The interior of the katholikon of the monastery still features frescos dating to the late 17th century, icons (including the icon of Panagia Skopiotissa) and a marble iconostatis carved in the typical Baroque-inspired style of the island. A double-headed eagle (a symbol of adherence to Orthodoxy and the Byzantine empire) is located on the katholikon floor.

The view from the monastery of Panagia Skopiotissa is exceptional. The panoramic view is even better by climbing the rocky hill on the east side of the monastery complex. From here visitors can can see Zakynthos Town, the bay of Laganas, the Vasiliko peninsula, the Peloponnese and Kefalonia. Practically, the whole island can be seen from this vantage point which is the reason it was also used as a watchtower.

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Zakynthos, Greece
See all sites in Zakynthos

Details

Founded: 1624
Category: Religious sites in Greece

More Information

argassizakynthos.com

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Andrew Wilkinson (8 months ago)
Takes about an hour and a half if you fancy the walk from Kalimaki. The ruins are impressive and on entering the monastery, we were welcomed by a custodian. Feel free to leave a tip, water bottles were offered but we took plenty for the 3 hour round trip.
Alain Dibo (9 months ago)
We drove up to the mountain of Sokos to visit Monastery Panagia which try remarkable how ancient it is and how old the icons inside the church…it was nice to read about the history of this church and to see its very old icons and construction. Also enjoyed the panoramic view of the zakynthos from on top of the mountains. It was a truly blessed visit
Miroslav Ondruš (9 months ago)
A quiet place with almost no people. Beautiful views of the wide surroundings. These are relatively well-preserved ruins of a small monastery. Free entry. The church itself has been locked. The permanent inhabitants are the goats. A preserved monk's cell with furniture. A very beautiful and romantic place. It's worth the effort to climb up here. There's a nice makeshift sitting area under a huge old olive tree just below the monastery where you can have a cool drink.
T. B. (10 months ago)
Very nice and mystical place. Not easy to reach as the way is full of big stones and therefore not very stable. I used the way starting from Agassi and I went up by foot, I would not recommend to go by car as the street is maximum usable for a motorcycle or quad. Maybe there are other streets from the other side of the hill, but from Agassi I would not use a car. The place itself offers fantastic view, but depending on the weather it can be very foggy and cloudy as it was during my trip. For the ones who love nature and animals it is definitely a place worth to see. A small special are the goats which are surrounding the building itself.
Doug Mather (2 years ago)
An amazing experience with stunning views... but be aware that it will take some confident driving on slightly rocky off road sections with no tar. You can get there with a car, but it can be a bit bumpy. Also, if you're coming from the south or west of the island, take note that despite what Google Maps says, DO NOT try and get there from the west side (via Vrontonero Beach). You must go via Argassi side which is approaching from the east and heading west up the hill. It's a beautiful old monastery set on a hill with amazing views. It's like stepping back in time. There's a guy who runs a refreshment stop near the top. We drove by it, intending to stop there on the way back, but when we got to the top, he arrived a few minutes after us and opened up the Chapel for us to go in and take some photos. It was beautiful. Then if you walk up the hill a little from the monastery, there is an amazing view to the east. Despite the road up the hill, it's a visit that is well worth doing.
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