Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring

The monastery of the Life-Giving Spring was built on the site of the ancient temple of Apollo Aigletis. Today we can see pieces of the temple scattered around outside and inside the monastery. The walls of the monastery were built in the courtyard of the ancient temple. The sacred cobbled street that started at the ancient city, in Kastelli, passed the site of the present church of Saint (Agios) Mamas and ended at the temple of Apollo, where the monastery is now. The current path that connects the monastery with the ancient city follows the route of the sacred road. The monastery is believed to have been founded in 1571. It became a Patriarchal Stavropegian monastery, that is, one belonging directly to a Patriarchate and not the local Diocese. It has a one-room domed church with a newer multi-arched bell tower on the western façade. Inside the church, there is a carved and painted wooden icon screen from the 19th century. Most of the icons are the work of Nikolaos Karavias.