Mount Athos is the eastern promontory that makes up the three fingered fist shape of Halkidiki and it is by far the most intriguing.
To the far west lies the Kassandra peninsula, then the Sithonia peninsula and finally MountAthos which is separated from Sithonia by the Singitic Gulf on its western side and on its eastern side is the Strymonic Gulf which opens out to the vastness of the Aegean Sea.
According to Greek mythology, Athos was one of the giants and the son of Uranus and Gaea.
In the war between the gods of Olympus and the giants, which was instigated by Gaea to avenge herself on Zeus, Athos seized the highest mountain in Thrace and hurled it at the gods.
The mountain fell to earth in the centre of Macedonia and took the name of the giant who had thrown it.
The peninsula of Sithonia got caught in the hurling crossfire and anything that fell short of its target landed there hence causing its craggy volcanic terrain whereas the Kassandra peninsula wasn't a victim of the waging fury.
Although, the peninsula takes its name from the mountain that dominates the area it is not the name that the Greeks know it by.
To them this peninsula is called, The Holy Mount and hereby lies a tale.
Nowhere else in the world is there an area like Mount Athos, Halkidiki.
It is unique because it is a monastic communitytotally self-administered although, it does come under the direct control of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and spiritually, it is subject to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
It is at the heart of the worldwide Orthodox faith and has survived for over a thousand years.
Subsequently it possesses a wealth of religious relics and historical and artistic artifacts which consist of superb wall-paintings, hundreds of icons, mosaic floors, carved wooden screens, crosses of various sizes, vestments, relics of the saints, miniatures, glassware, embroidery and carpets.
There are over 12,000 manuscripts and more than 20,000 printed books that have been stored for centuries in the monasteries libraries and special rooms which visitors are allowed to view.
As you can imagine, it is an interestingplace to say the least, but it may only be visited by up to 120 Greek Orthodox and up to 10 foreign members of other faiths per day and documents and special permits are required to enter.
Entry to Mount Athos is only allowed to males, women are strictly taboo, including female animals!However, not to be thwarted by this, women have found a way to peep at the monasteries by cruise boats but the boats must remain a 150 meters from the shoreline.
These boat trips provide good views and you get a good idea of the magnificent Byzantine architecture of the monasteries.
They leave on a daily basis from Ouranoupolis which is the last village before the monastic republic boundary.
There are twenty monasteries in all, seventeen are Greek and the Russians, Bulgarians and Serbians have one each.
No more monasteries are allowed to be built there but by the same measure, no monastery is permitted to deteriorate.
The monastic state is administered by one representative of each monastery who serves for one year and exercises administrative, legislative and judicial powers.
Daily matters are dealt with by three supervisors and a chief supervisor who is based at Karyes, which is the capital of the monastic state.
The monastic republic even has its own police force.
Everything is shared within the monasteries but there are also a variety of ways that the monks can live outside the main monasteries.
All over the mount there are small monastic houses where groups of monks live.
The harshest conditions are those of the hermits who live in caves on the steep slopes of Mount Athos which are almost impossible to approach.
Their only communication is by way of a rickety staircase or even just a rope dangling down to a boat on the seashore.
Apart from the mysticism surrounding the monastic community, the area is one of unsurpassed natural beauty and home to several wild birds and endemic herbs and flowers.
No one can honestly say they know Halkidiki until they have viewed the majestic splendour of Mount Athos and its monasteries, it really is an awe inspiring and humbling experience and one that shouldn't be missed whether you are viewing it by boat or are allowed entry.
To the far west lies the Kassandra peninsula, then the Sithonia peninsula and finally MountAthos which is separated from Sithonia by the Singitic Gulf on its western side and on its eastern side is the Strymonic Gulf which opens out to the vastness of the Aegean Sea.
According to Greek mythology, Athos was one of the giants and the son of Uranus and Gaea.
In the war between the gods of Olympus and the giants, which was instigated by Gaea to avenge herself on Zeus, Athos seized the highest mountain in Thrace and hurled it at the gods.
The mountain fell to earth in the centre of Macedonia and took the name of the giant who had thrown it.
The peninsula of Sithonia got caught in the hurling crossfire and anything that fell short of its target landed there hence causing its craggy volcanic terrain whereas the Kassandra peninsula wasn't a victim of the waging fury.
Although, the peninsula takes its name from the mountain that dominates the area it is not the name that the Greeks know it by.
To them this peninsula is called, The Holy Mount and hereby lies a tale.
Nowhere else in the world is there an area like Mount Athos, Halkidiki.
It is unique because it is a monastic communitytotally self-administered although, it does come under the direct control of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and spiritually, it is subject to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
It is at the heart of the worldwide Orthodox faith and has survived for over a thousand years.
Subsequently it possesses a wealth of religious relics and historical and artistic artifacts which consist of superb wall-paintings, hundreds of icons, mosaic floors, carved wooden screens, crosses of various sizes, vestments, relics of the saints, miniatures, glassware, embroidery and carpets.
There are over 12,000 manuscripts and more than 20,000 printed books that have been stored for centuries in the monasteries libraries and special rooms which visitors are allowed to view.
As you can imagine, it is an interestingplace to say the least, but it may only be visited by up to 120 Greek Orthodox and up to 10 foreign members of other faiths per day and documents and special permits are required to enter.
Entry to Mount Athos is only allowed to males, women are strictly taboo, including female animals!However, not to be thwarted by this, women have found a way to peep at the monasteries by cruise boats but the boats must remain a 150 meters from the shoreline.
These boat trips provide good views and you get a good idea of the magnificent Byzantine architecture of the monasteries.
They leave on a daily basis from Ouranoupolis which is the last village before the monastic republic boundary.
There are twenty monasteries in all, seventeen are Greek and the Russians, Bulgarians and Serbians have one each.
No more monasteries are allowed to be built there but by the same measure, no monastery is permitted to deteriorate.
The monastic state is administered by one representative of each monastery who serves for one year and exercises administrative, legislative and judicial powers.
Daily matters are dealt with by three supervisors and a chief supervisor who is based at Karyes, which is the capital of the monastic state.
The monastic republic even has its own police force.
Everything is shared within the monasteries but there are also a variety of ways that the monks can live outside the main monasteries.
All over the mount there are small monastic houses where groups of monks live.
The harshest conditions are those of the hermits who live in caves on the steep slopes of Mount Athos which are almost impossible to approach.
Their only communication is by way of a rickety staircase or even just a rope dangling down to a boat on the seashore.
Apart from the mysticism surrounding the monastic community, the area is one of unsurpassed natural beauty and home to several wild birds and endemic herbs and flowers.
No one can honestly say they know Halkidiki until they have viewed the majestic splendour of Mount Athos and its monasteries, it really is an awe inspiring and humbling experience and one that shouldn't be missed whether you are viewing it by boat or are allowed entry.
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