Church of St. Nicholas of the mole
This church located in Solomos square is the only building in Venetian
style that survived the earthquake in 1953 and has been restored keeping
its original characteristics. Originally the church had been built on an island connected to
the mainland by a bridge, then the island joined the city. For many centuries the church belonged to the Sailors Corporation. Dated back to the 17th Century it is the most ancient building
in Solomos square and it was built in renaissance style with the
exception of the bell tower that is more Byzantine. Inside there are the liturgical ornaments of Saint Dionysios,
the island protector, that for a period in his life gave his services to
this church.
St. Markos Church
Very small it is the only catholic church of the island. Next to the Museum of Solomos and Kalvos, it looks like a single building since built with the same style. During the summer a Mass in English is celebrated every Sunday evening at 19.00.
St. Nicholas Kiliomenou Church
As soon as you reach Kiliomeno the majesty of the bell tower and the huge dimension of the church strike the visitor.
The church and the bell tower are separated by a street and
look like two different buildings even in the exterior aspect. The bell tower with a squared base has four floors and at the third it
is possible to admire two arches and at the last, with and hexagonal
base, numerous decorations in relief.
St. Mavra Church
Located in the centre of Macherado, it is very peculiar both inside and outside.
In addition to the many frescos there is an icon representing
the saint to whom the church has been dedicated; according to the legend
the icon is dated back to the third century a.C. and comes from Egypt
where Saint Mavra lived and underwent martyrdom.
Spiliotissa Monastery
North of the island in a small village of the inland,
Orthonies, it is possible to visit the monastery of the Holy Mother of
the cave (Spiliotissa) that was built in the 16th Century. This monastery looks like if it has been built at the edge of a gully
and it is surrounded by greenness and the landscape is rich in
vegetation. In this moment is possible only to look at it externaly because the inside is not accessible.
Yperagathou Monastery
To reach this monastery you have to pass the town of Kiliomeno and take a side road on the right. The road to be run is long but in the green with flowered fields on both sides. Once there you reach a small monastery founded in the 17th Century and dedicated to the Holy Mother.
St. George Krimnon Monastery
In the town of Anafonitria besides the Monastery of the Holy
Mother there is the one of St. George Krimnon built on a promontory from
where you can look at the sea. Entering the courtyard of the monastery it is possible to admire on the
left the abodes of the resident inhabitants of the monastery, in the
middle the tower and on the right a small church. We do not know when the church was built, but it was destroyed by pirates in 1553 and then rebuilt in Venetian style. The circular tower was built to defend the monastery from assaults.
Virgin Anafonitria Monastery
Located in the greenness it is a stop for many tourists. The medieval tower of the 15th Century that you can see immediately at the entrance, is very interesting.
The tower, in part destroyed, has at the top four arches and a cross and
it is used as bell tower whereas in the past had been built as a
defence. Inside the church there is an icon of the Virgin dated back to the 15th
Century and it is of high value, coming from Costatinopolis; there are
many frescos on the walls too. Here St. Dionysios took refuge and lived as a monk.
As soon as you leave Macherado, going North you reach on the left the monastery of the Liberator Holy Mother (Eleftheotria). From outside it looks more like being in a castle than in a
monastery and the towers battlements are very characteristic so as the
white and red of the windows and the arches of which the building
consists. The view from the monastery is toward the plain of Zakynthos and you are charmed by the rich vegetation.
Today it is a nunnery that is possible to visit inside.
St. John Baptist Monastery
In
the past this post Byzantine monastery, located on the mountain north
of Alykes, in the past has been used for its position has a rest area
for the pilgrims even though the masterpieces that are there are of
great value.
It is possible to see the icons of the famous painters Poulakis and Bafas and precious wood faldstools.
The complex includes a simple abbey, a two floors building and
a tower with circular base, built in the past as a defence.