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The Kipouria Monastery is worth a visit especially because of its prime location.It is located 15 km from Lixouri, and is built on top of a cliff on the west coast of the Lixouri peninsula, with a breathtaking view of the sea.This monastery is very isolated and surrounded only by nature and greenery, and it is not easy to reach it accidentally.To visit it, you have to start from the village of Kaminarata or Havdata. It is recommended to go at sunset to watch the sun set over the sea right in front of the monastery.The name "Kipouria" comes from the Greek word "kipos" which means vegetable garden or land, as the monks who lived in the monastery cultivated these lands to support themselves. The monastery was built in the 17th century, and in 1759 the church, dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, was built by Chrysanthos Petropoulos.Inside the monastery, it is possible to admire some treasures such as a piece of the Holy Cross donated by Russian Prince Vladimir Dolgorukov in 1862, the oil of Agios Dimitrios from the 7th century, relics of several saints, and the icon of Agia Parakevi, which is the only relic of the monastery unfortunately destroyed by Tafiou.However, the juxtaposition of the very beautiful entrance gate, church, and old parts of the monastery with two more modern buildings is not harmonious and devalues the whole. The monastery celebrates four different holidays: the Annunciation of the Virgin on March 25, the third Sunday of fasting, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14, and Agia Paraskevi on July 26.
