GATE TO GREECE > Athens > Places to Visit in Athens > Byzantine Athens > Kaisariani Monastery 1
<Location> Kaisariani, Athens
<Also Known As> Moni KaisarianisAbove is the Katholikon of Kaisariani Monastery (the "katholikon" means the main church of monastery). To the left is the principal church dedicated to the Virgin Mary ("Entry of the Virgin into the Temple") and on its right side is the parekklesion, dedicated to St. Anthony, which was added in the 16th century.
Kaisariani Monastery is situated in the outskirt of Athens, and constructed in the 11th century. Now it does not function as monastery.
In a relatively small space, there are church, refectory, bathing facility, and residential cells are arranged around the courtyard. Some Roman architectural elements are reused, as in this place there were some Roman villas.
The heyday of the monastery is between the 12th and 13th century. The monks made a fortune from the bee-keeping and wine making. It once boasted of a rich library. The monastery continued to function even under the Latins and Ottomans.
When Athens fell to the Ottomans, tha abbot of this monastery handed over the key of the city to the Sultan Mehmet II, as the patriarch had fred already.
