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Filerimos Hill

This is the most ancient well-defined settlement on the island

The hill took its name from a monk who came from Jerusalem in the 13th century bringing with him an icon of the Blessed Virgin painted by the Apostle Luke. Today that icon is in St Petersburg and a copy has been put in its place. The small church he built later became a basilica and then in the 14th century the Knights built in St. John, a large monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary with its exquisite belkower that one still sees today. There is where the miracle-working icon is so reverently kept.

The monastery was destroyed during the Turkish occupation. The Italians rebuilt the monastery during their occupation and kept it open with monks from the Capuchin Order. Behind the church are the monks' cells, the walls of which are decorated with mosaic depictions of saints. During the war the monks returned to Italy and since then the monastery has been closed. The main church of the monastery was more like a small chapel to the Virgin Mary and young couples had romantic weddings there.

Going up the ancient road to the acropolis, on your left below the church is the amphiprostyle temple of the lalyssian Polias Athena from the 3rd century B. C. The temple was destroyed in the 6th century A. D. when its building material was used for the triple-ai sled basilica of Filerimos. What is mainly left of this church is the Bapistry and the cruciform-shaped font with its two steps so that those about to be baptized may enter it. On your left as you face the anient monument is the church of Ayios Georgios (St. George) Chostos whose interior is completely covered with superb wall paintings from the 14th'15th century using the technique developed by the Knights but with Byzantine influences while to your right is the monastery of the Blessed Virgin

Left of the square with the large oak trees are the ruins of, a triple-ai sled, cruciform church with a dome covered with wall paintings, a small main church (katoliko) of a Byzantine monastic complex from the 10th century. There is another road that sets off from the square that leads to the westernmost point of the hill. The Road to Golgotha used by the Catholics was dotted with holy icon-stands and bronze reliefs with representations of the Passion of Christ. There is a very impressive view from there.