Koutloumousiou Monastery is a Greek Orthodox Monastery on Mount Athos, 6th in a hierarchical order. It is also known as the Holy Monastery of Metamorphosis tou Sotiros, in which is dedicated its katholikon, which is founded on tree trunks because of the instability of the soil .
It is the first monastery that pilgrims wanst to visit the other monasteries ,following the paths. The founding of the monastery dates back in 1169. In the 14th c. was destroyed by Catalan invaders, but immediately after a period of prosperity until the conquest of Mount Athos by the Ottomans. Parts of the monastery were destroyed by fire in the 15th, 18th, 19th centuries.
The Catholic, built in 1540 and illustrated at the same time, is dedicated to the Metamorphosis of Sotiros. The iconostasis of the katholikon is a piece of the 19th century and is one of the best wood carvings in Athos. In the monastery there are several chapels. The most impressive of Virginia is in the katholikon, a building of 1733 that houses the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary with Christ. Churches are also dedicated to Saint Natalia, Saint Kosmas and Damianos, Saint Pantes, St. John the Baptist, Archangels and Saint Spyridon.
The building of the Trapeza is located directly opposite the Katholikon is not used. The bottle that was between the Catholic and the Trapeza was recently moved to the north due to sedimentation. The library contains 662 manuscripts and 3500 printed books. The bonesof many saints are also kept in the katholikon.
Close to the monastery there are the cloister of the Holy Prodromos and several Kelia. The most famous Keli of Koutloumousiou Monastery is the Keli of the Timios Prodromos in Karyes, where the 18th century Dionysius hagiographer from Fourna of Evritania lived. There he wrote the great book Interpretation of Art Painting, thanks to which we know a lot about the iconography on Mount Athos. Also in 1711 he painted the frescoes of the temple of Keli.
