
Fortified Monastery of Christ Photodoti
The castle monastery of Photodotis Christ, is the oldest and perhaps most important fortified monastery of Naxos. Located north of Danakos at an altitude of 500m, the imposing structure was built on the ruins of a 6th century basilica about 300 years later. It is surrounded by age-old oak trees, fig trees and vineyards and offers superb views of the Aegean Sea and the island of Donoussa.
The structure features two floors. The ground floor is a three-aisle church with a dome supported by four marble pillars and a marble iconostasis with old Byzantine sculptures and reliefs. One of the rooms on the right of the main church probably functioned as a crypt. The first floor is accessed via an external, stone-built staircase. In the center there is an atrium surrounded by the abbot’s quarters, monks’ cells and bastions. The church is dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Savior and celebrates with vespers on the eve of August 6th. The Monastery was restored in 2007 and is open to the public.