Pantanassa Monastery

The Pantanassa Monastery is a former Eastern Orthodox monastery, now nunnery, located in Mystras. Its ornate stone-carved façade is of architectural note,completed in a mix of Byzantine and Gothic Revival styles. The former monastery is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mystras, inscribed in 1989.

Mystras, the wonder of the Morea, was built as an amphitheatre around the fortress erected in 1249 by the prince of Achaia, William of Villehardouin. Reconquered by the Byzantines, then occupied by the Turks and the Venetians, the city was abandoned in 1832, leaving only the breathtaking medieval ruins, standing in a beautiful landscape.

Unesco: Archaeological Site of Mystras
Tag: Unesco offer tag
Date: May 20

Sümela Monastery

Sümela Monastery is a dramatic, 1,600-year-old Greek Orthodox complex built directly into a steep cliff face in the Pontic Mountains of northeastern Turkey. Perched roughly 1,200 meters above sea level inside the Altındere Valley National Park, it is located about 47 kilometers south of the coastal city of Trabzon. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, this iconic site is currently featured on UNESCO's Tentative World Heritage list and serves as one of the Black Sea region's most prominent cultural and historic landmarks.

Tag: Favourites tag
Date: April 20

Moldovita Monastery

Moldovita Monastery is one of the eight painted churches from Romania included on the UNESCO Heritage List, all masterpieces inspired by the Byzantine art of the 15th and 16th centuries. Their distinctive elemen, the external walls covered with frescoes representing complete religious cycles, makes them unique in the myriad of churches built anywhere in the world at that time. It is situated in the commune of Vatra Moldoviței, Suceava County, Moldavia.

Unesco: Churches of Moldavia
RR: 10 Countries RR (20)
Date: August 28

Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair

The Convent of Müstair, which stands in a valley in the Grisons, is a good example of Christian monastic renovation during the Carolingian period. It has Switzerland's greatest series of figurative murals, painted c. A.D. 800, along with Romanesque frescoes and stuccoes.

Unesco: Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair
RR: Unesco RR
Date: Sept 1

Goshavank

Goshavank is a 12–13th-century Armenian monastery located in the village of Gosh in the Tavush Province of Armenia. The Goshavank complex is known for its exquisite architecture and detailed stone carvings, most notably its khachkar (cross stone), considered one of the finest examples of Armenian cross stone art. The monastery grounds include several buildings, including the Church of Our Lady, the Church of St. Gregory, a library, a school, a bell tower and several chapels, all built using local pinkish basalt stone, giving the entire complex a distinctive look. 

Tag: Offer tag
Date: July 19

Zhyrovichy Monastery

The Zhyrovichy Assumption Monastery is a major Orthodox Christian pilgrimage site, famous for a miraculous icon of the Mother of God and holding stauropegial status since the 16th century. It is one of the most renowned religious and historical sites in Belarus. This spiritual jewel of Belarus is located in the agrotown of Zhirovichi, situated in the Slonim district of the Grodno region. The Holy Assumption Cathedral, the main temple, is located in the center of the complex. It's a majestic structure with features of Baroque, Classicism, and Rococo.

RR: 10 Countries RR
Date: August 8

Blagaj

Blagaj is a historic village and protected heritage site,located in the south-eastern region of the Mostar basin. Blagaj is situated at the spring of the Buna river. The Blagaj Tekija, a Dervish monastery was built around 1520, with elements of Ottoman architecture and Mediterranean style and is considered a national monument.

Thanks a lot Gian Luca & Raffaella
Date: May 5

Hâncu monastery

Hâncu monastery, located in Bursuc is a significant Orthodox Christian monastery with historical and cultural importance. Founded in the 17th century, the monastery complex includes a main church, several smaller chapels, living quarters for monks, and defensive walls. It is renowned for its stunning architecture, featuring traditional Moldavian style, and is nestled amidst picturesque natural surroundings. The monastery has played a role in preserving Moldovan heritage and spirituality over the centuries and continues to be a place of worship, pilgrimage, and cultural appreciation.

Tag: Offer tag
Date: Nov 3

Monastery of Alcobaça

Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, in 1989, this magnificent monastery is one of the finest and most impressive examples of Cistercian architecture in Europe. Although it was built almost 900 years ago, the monastery still preserves the set of its mediaeval buildings. The church is the largest primitive Gothic church built in Portugal in the Middle Ages.

Unesco: Monastery of Alcobaça
RR: Unesco RR
Date: Nov 25

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery

One of the oldest monasteries found in the Volga region is the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. It dates back to the 13th century. Together with the historical city center of Yaroslavl, it has made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage Site List. At the centre of the monastery is the large fresco covered cathedral and a bell tower which you can climb up to get great views over the river. The various buildings and towers of the monastery host a series of exhibitions about the region and there are also various souvenir stalls and tea stands dotted around.

Unesco: Historical Centre of the City of Yaroslavl
RR: Unesco RR
Date: Nov 7

Arbore Monastery

The Arbore Monastery is a Roman Orthodox monastery in the village of Arbore, Suceava County. The monastery church is dedicated to the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist and is known for its fresco paintings which are typical for the historical Bucovina region. The monastery is one of the 8 churches and monasteries that make up the Churches of Moldavia UNESCO World Heritage Site .From the original monastery of 1502, only the Church of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist still exists today, together with the bell tower from 1867. The church is built of brick and stone from nearby quarries and has a rectangular plan without a spire. One of the most notable works can be found on the western facade, which entirely consists of a group of miniatures and is considered as one of the best fresco paintings of the era of Stephen the Great and Petru Rareș.

Unesco: Churches of Moldavia
RR: Finland x other counries RR
Date: July 20

Thikse Monastery

Thikse monastery is located at an altitude of 3,600 metres  in the Indus Valley. It is a twelve-storey complex and houses many items of Buddhist art such as stupas, statues, thangkas, wall paintings and swords. It is a Buddhist monastery affiliated with the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. It is noted for its resemblance to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, and is the largest monastery in central Ladakh.

RR: Australia & New Zealand x World RR
Date: July 6