Taxiarchis Monastery, Orthodox monastery in Mantamados, Greece

Taxiarchis Monastery sits among olive groves and pine forests on Lesbos island, with tall defensive walls and a prominent northwestern tower-steeple that give it a fortress-like appearance. The complex includes several buildings arranged around an inner courtyard, serving both religious and daily functions.

The monastery is first documented in a church document of 1661, when it functioned as a male monastery. In the 18th century its small church was replaced by a larger one, and the present three-aisled church was built on that site in 1879. Tradition places the pirate attack in the 11th century, though another version dates it to the Turkish capture of Lesbos in 1462.

The monastery's name, Taxiarchis, refers to the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. Its relief icon of Michael, made by the novice Gabriel from clay mixed with the blood-soaked earth of the slain monks, is credited with saving him from pirates and is now the patron icon of Lesbos. Soldiers have donated swords, shields and uniforms, displayed in the church, and in 2009 the Greek Air Force placed an F-5A Freedom Fighter at the entrance as a gift for the archangel's help.

The monastery can be reached via the Eparchiaki Odos Thermis-Mithimnas road, located about 36 kilometers from Mytilene. Accommodation options are available nearby, and visitors should check opening times as they follow religious observances.

The relief icon of Archangel Michael has a disproportionately large head, and believers leave metal shoes as offerings. This practice reflects a local belief that the archangel protects the island during the night.