Aegina Series
Aegina is a relatively small island 17 miles SW of Athens. It has a rich history, human presence on the island dates back to the prehistoric period. The town of Aegina was the first capital of modern Greece. Strangely there was no geocache on the island. Aegina series is the first geocaching series consisting of eight caches placed mainly in areas of historical interest.
Chrysoleontissa
Virgin Mary Chrysoleontissa's Monastery was built in the early 17th century. It is protected by high walls and it looks more like a fort. It was built that way because the monks were threatened by the Saracens. It's a big, two storey building with a garden in the center in which there is a church and next to it, a three-storey tower.
The tower rises above the valley and it was built around 1600. The church was built in 1800 in place of the old one which was burned. The church has an elaborate carved icon screen, beautiful murals and Virgin Mary's icon. The Monastery was very rich and owned the largest part of the island. During the 19th century, the Monastery expropriated and the monks left. From the year 1935 the Monastery became feminine and ten nuns live there ever since.
The Monastery celebrates on the 15th of August and this is the most important celebration of the island. It is not advisable to search for the cache at the 14th or 15th of August.
The Cache
Leave your car before the outer door on the road and take the old footpath to the monastery. After a few meters you meet a stonewall/ stone pile area surrounded by vegetation.
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