Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary

The most important ecclesiastical site on the island, a Mount Athos-style monastery founded in the 2nd half of the 18th century. It was destroyed in 1824 and reopened many years later. Its most important heirloom was the icon of the Virgin Mary signed by Domenikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco), the Virgin of the Psarians. Before the destruction, it was moved to Syros, where it is still kept in the church of the Dormition (Kimisis) there. In the 20th century, the monastery in Psara was converted into a convent for women, and so it remained until 1980. It is worth visiting the monastery and exploring its premises (the cells, the dining room, and the workshops), where you will also find a small folk life museum focused on the occupations of its past inhabitants. The monastery has a remarkable library of 473 manuscripts and printed materials. Outside, north of it, we will find the monastery’s oldest building, with a rare architectural style, the little church of the Holy Trinity (Agia Triada).