One of the main attractions of the island of Chios is the monastery of Nea Moni of the 11th century, located in a splendid position of country retreat, only 15 kilometers west of the capital. Its mosaics, which are among the finest in Greece, date back to the 11th century, Considered one of the most important imperial monuments of the Byzantine period, the monastery was founded in 1042 by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX Monomachus on the site where three hermits had found an icon of the Virgin. Nea Moni Monastery To get to the monastery of Nea Moni you have to drive along a beautiful panoramic road that climbs the slopes of Mount Epos and reaches a thickly wooded valley, where you will discover as if by miracle this splendid complex, built by the most renowned architects and painters of Constantinople. Severely damaged by the earthquake of 1881, the outer walls are covered with a protective plaster that unfortunately diminishes its original splendor. The porticoed bell tower is also of recent construction, but the octagonal church is undoubtedly the most accomplished architectural expression of this period in Greece. The church has three large domes, formerly covered with slabs of red marble. The interior is covered with post-Byzantine frescoes, with a beautiful marble floor depicting the Multiplication of the Loaves. The monastery of Nea Moni reached the height of its power after the fall of the Byzantine Empire, exerting its influence until the Ottoman reprisals of 1822.
