Skopelos Monastery of Taxiarches

Location: Glosa

Located in a lush pine-covered area close to the mountainous village of Glossa, the Monastery of Taxiarches was constructed in 1672 and went on to play a significant role in the economic life of Glossa up to the end of the 19th century. During the years of Ottoman rule, it formed part of the landed property of Xeropotamou Monastery on Mount Athos and had a large estate that it had received through donations.

Today, the monastery is deserted, but visitors can still see the building complex, which comprises a five-sided stone wall, the monks' cells and the main church, a domed cross-in-square temple erected on the ruins of an early Christian basilica. A small ossuary that can still be found outside the compound and a cistern that lies on the southern side of the monastery are also of particular interest.