Monastic community of Mount Athos, Eastern Orthodox monastic territory on Athos Peninsula, Greece
The monastic community of Mount Athos is an Eastern Orthodox monastic territory on the Athos Peninsula in northern Greece. The territory covers 335 square kilometers (129 square miles) and includes 20 monasteries as well as smaller settlements where about 2,000 monks reside.
The first charter was signed in 972 and established the community's autonomy under Byzantine authority. Since then the territory has preserved its monastic self-governance through the centuries and is today recognized as an autonomous region.
The territory is often called the Holy Mountain and follows a way of life that combines solitary prayer with communal worship. Monks from Greece, Russia, Serbia and other countries live here according to the ancient Byzantine rite and gather several times each day for services in the monastery churches.
Male visitors need a special permit called a diamonitirion to enter, and the daily number of pilgrims is limited. Staying here requires respect for monastic rules and adapting to the local way of life.
The territory still uses the Julian calendar and has banned women as well as female animals for centuries. This rule makes it the largest continuous zone in Europe with such a restriction.
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