Fotodoti Monastery, Monastery in Naxos, Greece
The Fotodoti Monastery is a tower-like monastery near the village of Danakos on Naxos. It consists of two floors: the ground floor houses the church with a carved iconostasis and black-and-white tiled floor, while the upper floor contains monks' cells and a courtyard with a dome in the center.
The monastery was founded on the site of a 6th-century basilica and later fortified in the 15th or 16th century. After the Frankish conquest of Naxos, it was given to Benedictine monks in 1227, then returned to Orthodox ownership and became a dependency of other monasteries before being restored between 1991 and 2007.
The monastery is dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Savior, and its name, Fotodoti, means 'giver of light'. Inside, visitors can see fragments of non-figurative frescoes with plants, animals, and geometric patterns that reflect the iconoclast period.
The monastery sits on a hill outside Danakos, so the final approach is on foot and the path can be uneven. Visitors should dress modestly and avoid visiting during religious services.
The monastery walls end in defensive turrets and are supported by large buttresses on the outside. A spring about 150 meters to the north once supplied the complex with water.
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