Nea Moni
Founded in the mid-11th century under Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos, Nea Moni is renowned for its 11th-century mosaics and distinctive octagonal katholikon. Together with Daphni and Hosios Loukas, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990.
Why go
At a glance
- Time needed
- 90 minutes–2 hours.
- Accessibility
- Stone paving, thresholds and changes of level can make parts of the complex difficult for visitors with reduced mobility.
The experience
Nea Moni is one of the great monuments of Byzantine Greece and one of the essential cultural visits on Chios. Inside the 11th-century complex, the katholikon preserves exceptional mosaics whose gold backgrounds and expressive figures reward close attention, while the refectory, cisterns and monastic buildings reveal the wider life of the monastery. Its quiet mountain setting adds greatly to the experience.
Look for
- 1Mosaic programme and gold ground.
- 2Core architectural volumes.
- 3Refectory.
- 4Monastic landscape.
The story behind this place
Practical information
Etiquette
Map and directions
Related stories
Sources & accuracy
Photograph: supplied by the publisher
Sources Metropolis of Chios; published monastery histories; field notes · Photography and rights