Moni Odigitrias is in the western part of Asteroussia Mountains at an altitude of 250 m. The landscape around the Monastery is dry, without big villages or settlements, looking quite arid. The dirt road to the spectacular Agiofarango Gorge starts 3 km away from the Monastery towards south.
Moni Odigitrias looks like a fortress. In the past, it used to be surrounded by walls. It is quite old. Some of the monastery's icons are older than 600 years and over the northern gate there is an inscription of the year 1568.
The tower of Xopateras (=ex-father) standing on the left of the main entrance is named after a local hero, Ioannis Markakis. He was a former priest who defended himself and his family in this tower fighting against the Turks. Eventually, the Turks killed and decapitated him.
The Cache
The cache is on the north side of the Monastery, in an area where there is a monument dedicated to Xopateras, a picnic table and an olive-tree grove ecologically cultivated. There is an entrance gate but it’s always open.
The cache is a white film canister. It contains only a logbook, so don't forget to bring your own pen.
Please be specially careful for muggles, as there are plenty of visitors of the Monasery every day. Don’t forget to hide the cache well again.
