Mount of Athos, Greece

The Mount of Athos or Holy Mountain is located on Chalcidice peninsula, Greece, but is a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of Greece. On the Mount Athos are 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries (17 Greek monasteries, 1 Russian, 1 Bulgarian, and 1 Serbian) which are inscribed on the World Heritage List.

The first monasteries on the Athos Mount were built in 10th century. The exact year of the first built monastery is not known but is widely assumed that the Great Lavra monastery as first was constructed around year 963.

During the Byzantine Era the monasteries on the Athos Mount flourished until the 15th century when Byzantine Empire was conquered by the Ottomans. After the fall of Byzantine Empire the monks of the Athos Mount monasteries maintained good relations with the Ottoman authorities and preserved their independence.

During the First Balkan War in 1912 the Mount Athos was captured from the Ottoman Empire by the Greeks but they came into conflict with Russia over its sovereignty. After World War I the Chalcidice peninsula and with it also the Athos Mount fell under Greek sovereignty. In 1926 Greek Government proclaimed the Athos Mount an official part of Greece but allowed the monasteries on the Athos Mount to retain an autonomous theocratic government but spiritually is the Athos Mount under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.