Zalongo monastery, Monastery in the Municipality of Preveza, Greece
Zalongo Monastery is a Greek Orthodox monastery at the foot of Mount Zalongo in the Municipality of Preveza, northwestern Greece, and is listed as a protected building. The main church inside is a small basilica without aisles, topped by a dome added later, and decorated with wall paintings completed in 1816.
The monastery may date back to the 8th century and was originally located higher up the mountain near Kamarina before moving to its current site at the foot of the hill in the late 18th century. Over the years it suffered damage from war, a fire in 1897, and an earthquake in 1924, and was rebuilt each time before being converted into a women's monastery in 1962.
The monastery is reached by a steep path of around 400 steps from the road below, so sturdy footwear is a good idea. It is closed to visitors on Fridays, and the mountain setting means weather can change quickly, so bringing a layer is wise.
The wall paintings inside the church were made not by professional artists but by priests from nearby villages. The abbot Dionysios, who played a key role in rebuilding the monastery in the late 18th century, was also involved in local independence struggles, making the site both a religious and a political gathering point at the time.
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