Located on the Greek island of Chios is another treasure from Greece’s long history, now listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Nea Moni, or “New Monastery,” which was built in the 11th century, was constructed on the slopes of Mt. Provateio, nearly 15 kilometers from Chios town, according to greekreporter.com.
It houses some of the finest mosaics in all of the history of what is known as the “Macedonian Renaissance.”
The monastery was constructed in the mid-11th century by Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachos and his wife, Empress Zoe.
Legend has it that Constantine, who at the time was exiled on the nearby island of Lesvos, was visited by three monks who had miraculously discovered an icon of the Virgin Mary hanging from a myrtle branch.
The monks then told Constantine that they had had a vision in which he had triumphed following his time of exile and become Emperor. Constantine agreed to construct a large church if this vision indeed became reality, and in 1042, after that exact event had taken place, he began construction of the edifice, dedicated to the Virgin Mary herself.
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