Monastery of Saint John the Theologian

Patmos Municipality, Greece

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

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The Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, a Greek Orthodox monastery founded in 1088 in Chora on the island of Patmos, stands as a major pilgrimage site and center of Orthodox learning built in Byzantine architectural style. Named after St John of Patmos, the reputed author of the Book of Revelation, the monastery is distinguished by its integration with the surrounding fortified town of Chora, which developed around its walls from the monastery's founding. The complex preserves religious ceremonies tracing to the early Christian period and has maintained uninterrupted architectural evolution across centuries. Recognized for its sacred significance, architectural integrity, and exceptional continuity of Orthodox practice, the monastery was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 alongside the town of Chora and the nearby Cave of the Apocalypse.