Mount Athos Mount Athos (; el, Ἄθως, ) is a mountain in the distal part of the eponymous Athos peninsula and site of an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism in northeastern Greece. The mountain along with the respective part of the penins ...

has an extensive network of

footpath A footpath (also pedestrian way, walking trail, nature trail) is a type of thoroughfare that is intended for use only by pedestrians and not other forms of traffic such as motorized vehicles, bicycles and horses. They can be found in a wide ...

s, many of which date back to the

Byzantine period The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

. These paths are typically trails designed for human foot traffic and mules, and are not wide enough for motor vehicles. They connect the various

monasteries A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

skete A skete ( ) is a monastic community in Eastern Christianity that allows relative isolation for monks, but also allows for communal services and the safety of shared resources and protection. It is one of four types of early monastic orders, al ...

cell Cell most often refers to: * Cell (biology), the functional basic unit of life Cell may also refer to: Locations * Monastic cell, a small room, hut, or cave in which a religious recluse lives, alternatively the small precursor of a monastery ...

s, kathismas, and hermitages on the peninsula to each other.

History

Many of the footpaths of Mount Athos date back to the Byzantine period. Some are cobblestone paths (''

kalderimi In the former Ottoman countries, a kaldırım (Turkish) or kalderimi (Greek: καλντερίμι or καλντιρίμι; plural ''kalderimia'') is a cobblestone-paved road built for hoofed traffic. ''Kalderimia'' are sometimes described as cobb ...

''), while most are dirt trails (''monopatia''). Starting in the 1960s, many of the footpaths began to fall into disrepair. However, in the 21st century, the

Friends of Mount Athos The Friends of Mount Athos (FoMA) is a society formed in 1990 by people who shared a common interest for the monasteries of Mount Athos. It is a registered charity in the United Kingdom (Registered Charity No. 1047287). People Timothy Ware, Met ...

and other volunteers have been restoring and maintaining the footpaths for pilgrims and monks to use. Today, most of the footpaths are signed, well maintained, and in good condition. The Friends of Mount Athos footpath group also maps out GPX files for the footpaths and monitors their conditions.

Eastern coast

From north to south in order, the footpath network on the eastern coast of the Athonite peninsula takes pilgrims through the following sites. * Helandariou Monastery (interior) *

Esphigmenou Monastery The Sacred Patriarchal and Stauropegic Monastery Esphigmenou ( el, Ιερά Πατριαρχική και Σταυροπηγιακή Μονή Εσφιγμένου ) is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece, d ...

Vatopedi Monastery The Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopedi ( el, Βατοπέδι, ) is an Eastern Orthodox monastery on Mount Athos, Greece. The monastery was expanded several times during its history, particularly during the Byzantine period and in the 18th an ...

** (interior, behind Vatopedi) ** Bogoroditsa Skete (interior, behind Pantokratoros) *

Pantokratoros Monastery Pantokratoros Monastery ( el, Μονή Παντοκράτορος) is a Greek Orthodox monastery in the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece. It stands on the north-eastern side of the Athos peninsula, and is dedicated to the Transfiguration ...

** Skete of Prophet Elijah (interior, behind Pantokratoros) * Stavronikita Monastery ** Kapsala (interior, behind Stavronikita) * Koutloumousiou Monastery (interior, behind Karyes) **

Skete of Saint Andrew The Skete of Saint Andrew, also the Skete of Apostle Andrew and Great Anthony or Skiti Agiou Andrea in Karyes is a monastic institution (skete) on Mount Athos. It is a dependency of Vatopedi Monastery and is the site of the Athonias Ecclesiastical ...

(interior, behind Karyes) ** Skete of Saint Panteleimon (interior, behind Koutloumousiou) *

Iviron Monastery The Monastery of Iviron ( ka, ქართველთა მონასტერი, tr; el, Μονή Ιβήρων, Monḗ Ivirōn) is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in the monastic community of Mount Athos in northern Greece. History The monas ...

** (behind Iviron) * Mylopotamos * Filotheou Monastery (interior) * Karakalou Monastery (interior) * Provata (interior) * Morfonou (port with ferry service) *

Lakkoskiti Lakkoskiti (, ro, Schitul Lacu) is the short form name of a small "monastic village" of not more than 15 "huts" (houses) consisting the idiorrhythmic "skete of Agiou Dimitriou tou Lakkou". It is situated in the north foothills of Mount Athos, in ...

(interior, behind Morfonou) * Great Lavra Monastery

Western coast

From north to south in order, the footpath network on the western coast of the Athonite peninsula takes pilgrims through the following sites. The western coast is steeper and more rugged than the eastern coast. * Zografou Monastery (interior) * Konstamonitou Monastery (interior) *

Docheiariou Monastery The Docheiariou monastery ( el, Μονή Δοχειαρίου) is an Eastern Orthodox monastery at the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece. The is located in the monastery complex. History It was founded during the late 10th or early 11th c ...

* Xenophontos Monastery * Evangelismou tis Theotokou * Agiou Panteleimonos Monastery * Xeropotamou Monastery * Dafni (port with ferry service) * Simonos Petras Monastery *

Osiou Grigoriou Monastery The Holy Monastery of Saint Gregory ( el, Ιερά Μονή Οσίου Γρηγορίου), also known as Gregoriou Monastery ( el, Μονή Γρηγορίου) is an Orthodox Christian monastery in the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece. T ...

* Dionysiou Monastery * Agiou Pavlou Monastery *

New Skete New Skete may refer to: * New Skete (Mount Athos), Greece *New Skete (New York) New Skete is the collective term for two Orthodox Christian monastic communities in Cambridge, New York (geographically in the Town of White Creek): *The Monks of ...

Skete of Saint Anne The Skete of St Anne is a dependent idiorrhythmic ( hermitage-style) skete, a monastic community attached to the more formalised Great Lavra Monastery in Mount Athos, Greece. It lies on the shore of the Aegean Sea about 800 metres from the New ...

Vouleftiria Vouleftiria ( el, Βουλευτήρια) is an area of Mount Athos that belongs to the Monastery of Great Lavra. Located directly downhill from the main area of the Skete of Saint Anne, it is served by the port (''arsanas'') of Saint Anne (Agia ...

* Little St. Anne's Skete *

Karoulia Karoulia ( el, Καρούλια, lit=pulley) is an Eastern Orthodox skete of the community of Mount Athos that is subordinate to the Great Lavra. It is located on the southernmost shore of Mount Athos. Karoulia has 12 huts built in the 17th cent ...

(port with ferry service) *

Katounakia Katounakia ( el, Σκήτη Κατουνάκια) is an Eastern Orthodox skete of the community of Mount Athos that is subordinate to the Great Lavra. The skete is located between Little Saint Anne's Skete and Karoulia. The skete consists of 22 ...

Southern coast

The rugged southern coast, which forms the southern slope of the main summit of Mount Athos, is also known as the

Desert of Mount Athos The Desert of Mount Athos ( el, Έρημος του Αγίου Όρους) is a geographical area of Mount Athos that corresponds to the southern slopes of Mount Athos. Located along the southernmost coast of the Athos peninsula, it stretches roug ...

, a reference to the Scetis Desert where Christian monasticism had originated.

Hesychast Hesychasm (; Greek: Ησυχασμός) is a contemplative monastic tradition in the Eastern Orthodox Church in which stillness (''hēsychia'') is sought through uninterrupted Jesus prayer. While rooted in early Christian monasticism, it took it ...

hermits have traditionally lived in this area. From east to west in order, the footpath network takes pilgrims through: * Great Lavra Monastery * Prodromos * Vigla *Chairi (Χαΐρι) Pass; the Cave of Peter the Athonite is located in the Chairi area *Megali Sara (Μεγάλη Σάρα; a

scree Scree is a collection of broken rock fragments at the base of a cliff or other steep rocky mass that has accumulated through periodic rockfall. Landforms associated with these materials are often called talus deposits. Talus deposits typically ha ...

, or hillside covered by rocks) * Agios Nilos * Agias Triados Skete (

Kafsokalyvia Kafsokalyvia ( el, Καυσοκαλύβια, lit=burning hut) is a settlement and idiorrhythmic skete in Mount Athos. It is located at the southern edge of the Athos peninsula. Kafsokalyvia is named after Maximos Kausokalybites ("Maximos the Hut Bu ...

, which has a port with ferry service) * Kerasia (interior) * Skete of St. Basil (interior) *

(port with ferry service)

Way of the Bey

The Way of the Bey ( el, Μονοπάτι της Κορυφογραμμής ''or'' ) primarily runs along the Athos peninsular ridge. It starts from

, reaches its highest point at the peak of

Antiathonas Antiathonas ( el, Αντιάθωνας or ) is a peak in the Athos peninsula. Its summit is 1042 metres above sea level. The peak can be reached via footpaths A footpath (also pedestrian way, walking trail, nature trail) is a type of thorou ...

(1042 m), and ends at Dionysiou Monastery.

Bibliography

* (a detailed multilingual map of Mount Athos in English, Greek, and Russian; also contains notes in German, French, Italian, Serbian, Bulgarian, and Romanian) *Thomas, Chris and Howorth, Peter (2022). ''Encounters on the Holy Mountain.'' . (stories from Mount Athos)

References

External links

Mount Athos pilgrim maps
from Filathonites.org
AllTrailsAvenza Maps
{{Mount Athos

Mount Athos Pilgrimage routes Cultural landscapes