Patmos Sights: The Monastery of St John and the Cave of the Apocalypse
The main sights of Patmos are the fortress-like Monastery of St John, founded in 1088, the Cave of the Apocalypse where the apostle John is said to have written the Book of Revelation, and the hilltop Chora that grew up below the monastery. All three sit together at the top of the island above the port of Skala. For beaches, ferries and where to stay, see the Patmos guide.
- Island
- Patmos
- Monastery founded
- 1088
- Revelation written
- 95 AD
- Region
- Dodecanese
The Monastery of St John
The Monastery of St John was founded in 1088 by the monk Christodoulos, with the permission of the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Comnenus. It was built near the cave where, it is said, the apostle John wrote the last book of the New Testament, the Apocalypse (the Revelation of John), in 95 AD; John had been banished to Patmos by the emperor Domitian for spreading the word of Christ in Ephesus, and after Domitian died in 97 AD he is said to have returned to Ephesus and died there at a great age. The monastery has the look of a fortress that gave protection from pirates: its church is richly decorated with thirteenth-century frescoes, the library holds old books, writings and documents, and the treasure chamber is full of relics, icons and other valuable items.
The Cave of the Apocalypse
The Cave of the Apocalypse is now part of the small monastery complex, just below the top of the mountain where the Chora stands. It survives in fairly authentic state and can be visited.
The Chora of Patmos
The attractive village of Chora grew up at the foot of the monastery because the workmen and artists who helped build it settled here for protection from the constant threat of pirates. It sits high on the island, at the foot of the monastery walls just below the top of the mountain.