Approximately in the middle of the harbor is the Dormition Monastery, the “Monastery” as the Metropolis of Hydra is called, which was built in the mid-17th century and is considered one of the oldest monasteries in Hydra.
During the years of the Revolution, he even offered a lot for the Struggle of the homeland. The catholicon of the monastery, where the legendary sailors gathered many times to thank the Virgin Mary, is today the parish church of Hydra.
In 1750 it was destroyed by an earthquake, but was rebuilt a few years later with designs by Venetian and Genoese architects.
It is a three-aisled basilica with a dome, the aisles of which are separated from each other by colonnades. Impressive is the marble iconostasis as well as the rich interior decoration of the Church, as well as the two marble bell towers of the Monastery, one of which has a clock.
The temple is adorned with a golden six-light chandelier, decorated with the heads of the Louis kings of France, which, as it is said, was taken by Pavlos Kountouriotis from Captain Sarkosis, who in turn had taken it from Versailles.
The Monastery used to be the center of the island’s religious life, a place where important decisions were made, and today the Town Hall and the Ecclesiastical and Byzantine museum of Hydra are housed in its premises.
In the courtyard you can see busts of Lazaros Kountouriotis, Andreas Miaoulis, Vasileos George I and Antonis Lignos, sculpted by Dimitris Filippotis.
You can also see the tomb of Lazaros Kountouriotis and the monument to those who fell in the Balkan Wars.
The Ecclesiastical Museum “Agios Makarios Notaras” is housed on the west side of the monastery complex in the area of the old cells and has been operating since 1999.
In special display cases, relics of the monastery, tributes, holy icons, among which the icon of the Virgin “Rhodo Amaranto” stands out, placed around 1774, vestments, sacred vessels, musical manuscripts, Turkish firmans, etc.
There are also relics from private individuals such as portable icons of Archim.p. Athanasios Koulouras, personal hierarchal items of the blessed Metropolitan of Hydra, Mr. PROKOPIOS of Karamanos, which were offered by his nieces Mr. Eleftheria Soulias and Maria Kourousopoulou, personal items of the blessed Hierarch of Hydra, Mr. EPIFANIOS, Metropolitan of Paronaxia, donated by the nephew of Georgios E. Kalafatis, as an elaborate Cross of Blessing, donated by Anna Dim. Perkiza.
The opening of the Museum was officially held on 15-8-2005 under His Beatitude the Archbishop of Athens, Mr. CHRISTODOULOU.
The Museum is open from April 1st to November 15th except Mondays from 10am. to 5 p.m.
Information on phones 22980-54071
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