KAISARIANI MONASTERY
Go there and contact
When you reach the bottom of Mount Hymette, take the dirt road that leads to the monastery, it takes half an hour's walk to get there. In addition to the archaeological interest of the site, a walk through the monastery offers the opportunity to discover one of the most beautiful gardens in Attica, recognised by the European Union in 1993 as one of the "Historic Gardens of Europe".
Founded in the 11th century in a valley filled with pine and cypress trees at the foot of Mount Hymette, the convent is dedicated to the Virgin. It is in fact built on the site of an ancient temple of Aphrodite, where pilgrims came to be cured of their infertility. In the courtyard you can still see the fountain from which the source of Aphrodite flowed and of which only the ram's head remains, which gave it its name of "Fountain of the Ram". Ovid immortalized the fountain of Aphrodite by mentioning it in his Art of Loving. Near the church, besides the famous fountain, you can see the monks' cells and the refectory. In the church, don't forget to contemplate Christ Pantocrator from the dome, which dates back to the 16th century.
Next to the monastery is a remarkable historical olive grove, which has been recreated from 17th century engravings. Through the olive grove passes a wide path that leads, 500 m further on, to the ruins of an old Frankish convent.
Count one hour for the visit of the convent and two hours in total if you want to extend the walk to a beautiful viewpoint on Mount Hymette.
