Entrance to Dionysiou Monastery

Photographer

Horlbeck, Frank R.

Date

• June 23, 1983

Summary

• View of the main entrance to the Dionysiou monastery which is located on the west slopes of Mount Athos. The Dionysiou monastery was founded by the Blessed Dionysios of Koryssos (in Kastoria). An official chrysobull signed by Alexios II Comnenos places the founding of the monastery in 1374. Alexios and later Byzantine emperors supported the monastery financially. After the Ottoman conquest, the monastery received aid from the princes of Danubian lands who helped expand it. The defensive tower of the monastery dates to 1520 and was used for safe-keeping of books and valuables. In 1535 the monastery was destroyed by a fire in which it lost a large portion of its library and valuable possessions. It was rebuilt shortly after. The catholicon (communal church) was built in 1537-47 and painted in 1546-47 by the Cretan painter Tzortzis. The refectory in the south-east wing contains paintings by Cretan painters (16th century) and later paintings by Daniel and Mercurio in 1600.