⇠ Karyes 7,5km (1 and 30’ hour))

The Monastery Iviron is built on the coast, in a picturesque area in the middle of the eastern coast of Mount Athos. It was founded in the 10th century (980) on the location, where, according to tradition, Virgin Mary stopped to ask God to dedicate Mount Athos to herself.

This is why the monastery is dedicated to the Assumption and celebrates on the 15th of August (or August 28). Ioannis Tornikios, the consultant of the emperor Vasillios II, is supposed to be its founder. The monastery was named after the monks (Georgians) from Iviron, students of Athanasios Athonitis.

The buildings of the monastery are extremely big and imposing. Two towers, one in the courtyard (1626) and another in the cardinal monastery (1725) protected Iviron from the raids of intruders during the Ottoman Occupation.

During the War for Independence in 1821 several monks, such as Patriarch Gregorios V, fought as simple soldiers for freedom.