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Holy Mountain is 50 km long, 8-12 km wide, and covers about 350 square kilometers. Monastic city border is defined imaginary starting from "FRAGOKASTRO" on the west coast to "ARAPIS" opposite. The natural beauty of the island is great. Top of the mountain is like a huge cone that reaches 2033 meters high. Barren ridges appear lacy sky and forest covered slopes conivere old.
Athos is a community of monks who, over more than 1,000 years, they lived daily life style and religious practices of the Byzantines.
The oldest monastery on Mount Athos, is Megisti Lavra, who is also the richest in treasures and relics. It was founded in the 10th century by Ossie EN Athanassios but monks and hermits started to retreat to these places even before its founding. Beneficial acts Byzantine emperors allowed monasteries multiplying by 40 and the monks had reached 40,000. May currently works only 20 monasteries with 1700 monks maximum.
After ensuring that input is enabled, the tourist leaves the water from Ouranoupolis to Dafni triple and then land to Karies (capital where the elders would gather advice on administrative affairs). In Karies PROTANAL the church, the oldest in the area (10th century AD), undoubtedly an important architectural monument, painted by Emmanuel Panselinos (the last of the great muralist of the Macedonian School of Art) who painted and other churches rub off Mount Athos. Murals of the Macedonian School of Art and the Cretan School of Art (which later blossomed) decorate churches and monasteries of Agia Lavra, Vatopedi, Iviron, Koutloumousiou, Doheiariou, etc. Walking on the monasteries, tourists will be impressed not only libraries but also rich frescoes, mosaics, miniature art, church utensils and valuable relics held in treasury.
