Tour overview
Monastery of Agia Lavra – Great Cave
A very interesting tour with excitement is, as it combines our visit to two of the most important religious cultural heritage of our country with great historical significance and the walk in a beautiful and rich natural landscape to rejuvenate!
Initially we visit the historic monastery of Agia Lavra located in the region of Kalavryta, just 5 km from the beautiful town. The monastery was founded in the 10th century and suffered totalitarian losses from Turkish raids and German, was rebuilt completely. Here, on March 13, 1821, the metropolitan of Old Patras Germanos (1771-1826), member of the Society of Friends, blessed banner of struggle, preaching practically the start of the Greek Revolution.
The monastery hides priceless cultural and national treasures such as the Banner of inauguration of the fighters of 1821 (first flag of the Greek Nation), the epitaph of 1754 embroidered in Smyrna, the image of St.
George embroidered in Istanbul, the Gospel donated by the Empress of Russia Catherine II the Great, gold-embroidered vestments of Palaion Patron Germanos, amulets, carved wooden crosses and shrines of saints and a rich library of 3,000 forms with the oldest dating back to 1502.
North of the monastery of Agia Lavra, on a hill, stands the National Memorial of Fighters 1821.
Then we will get a unique scenic beauty that is the monastery of the Great Cave, the entrance to a natural cave at a height of 924 meters.
According to tradition, the monastery was founded by two brothers, monks from Thessalonica, Simeon and Theodore, who found in a cave at the suggestion of a shepherdess Efrosini, the image of the Virgin was painted by the evangelist Luke. The main building of the monastery, which has experienced numerous disasters, consists of eight floors.
The church, dug into the rock, bearing the above image of the Virgin frescoes in 1653 and carved iconostasis.
The walls of the church at the monastery are covered with frescoes from 1653. Also there kept manuscripts and Gospels and vestments.
We will have the opportunity along with our visit to the two monasteries to enjoy a majestic natural mountain environment in the vicinity of Ski Center Helmos and unique attractions such as the castle of Oria, the Cave of the Lakes and the stunning route Gorge Vouraikos.
