The harbour

Each monastery of Mount Athos has its own arsanas for its needs. The arsanas is a small harbour, which includes the necessary buildings for everyday life. On their ground floor are the monastery's boats, which are used for fishing.

On the site where today stands the arsanas of the Zograf Monastery, in ancient times there was a small settlement, and just in front of the pier was the ancient pagan city of Skolos, long since swallowed by the sea.

Nowadays, the central port of Mount Athos is Daphne (Dafni), but before it, so was our arsanas. From it was the main communication for the major part of the hinterland of Mount Athos, for the bay in which it is situated is calm and in rough seas, which is important to be able to stop vessels. The ruins of a large wave breaking defensive wall can still be seen today. Also still standing today is a large hangar for boats that used to cruise around the coast.

There was a windmill, large barn, bread oven, stables, vegetable garden, inn and outbuildings.

A battle tower was also built there for defence against the many pirate raids. Moldovan princes built it, together with the boat hangar, in the 15th and 16th centuries. Next to the tower is situated the Church of St. Nicholas. 

From the arsanas to the north, there is a road to the Zograf Monastery of - about 5 km.