The monastery, dedicated to the Nativity of the Theotokos, is built on the top of a hill near the village of Elliniko, at a relatively short distance from the city of Ioannina.
It is an active monastery well known in the area as it is an important pilgrimage with significant social contribution.
According to the tradition, the monastery was founded in 1190 by Emperor Isaac II Angelos; however, the katholikon in its current form was built probably in the late 17th century and the wall paintings inside the church in the mid 18th century.
According to an inscription of 1779, the gilding of the iconostasis was finished, at the expense of Abbot Gabriel, endowing it with an exceptional look.
The monastery is surrounded by a high wall and the two-storey cells have been recently restored.
At the back of the monastery, visitors and pilgrims of the monastery can admire the canyon of Arachthos river, declared landscape of exceptional natural beauty.
The view from there is simply «breathtaking».
