Description
Nea Moni is a monastery that was built in 1042 in honor of the Virgin Mary. It stands on the site where monks found an icon of the Virgin Mary under mysterious circumstances a few years earlier and subsequently built a small church. It was commissioned by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX, who had promised that if he became emperor, he would build a monastery. Shortly after its completion, the monastery became the cultural, economic, and religious center of the island. The monastery's influence lasted until 1822, when a great massacre was perpetrated within its walls by the Ottomans, killing 600 monks and many other people. Large parts of the monastery were also destroyed and devastated. A few decades later, the monastery was also hit by a strong earthquake, causing further destruction. This also caused the dome of the church to collapse.
World Heritage Site
Since 1990, the monastery has been undergoing restoration, with the dome being rebuilt and some of the mosaics restored.
Today, the monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and houses a museum about the history of the monastery. The monastery is considered part of a group of monasteries that are geographically very far apart but very similar in terms of their style and aesthetic features. The other two monasteries are the Daphni Monastery near Athens and the Osios Loukas Monastery on Mount Helicon.
Visiting
Admission to the monastery is free, and only a small fee is charged for the museum. However, the opening hours are not precisely defined. You must make sure to be there after sunrise and before sunset, although these are very flexible terms.
How to get there
By car:
The monastery is relatively easy to reach by car. You can drive to the monastery from all directions; the roads are relatively well signposted. There is also a parking lot right next to the monastery with benches where you can take a break.
By public transport:
Alternatively, you can take the bus (Green Line Route 90) directly from Chios Town, or one of the intermediate stops, to the monastery.
