It stands tall after Gavros and after a drive to Kleidi from a passage so narrow, that it feels that cars are almost touching the mountain rock.
…Notice how a few metres away on the upper right on the hillside you can see the “Typoma” (i.e. “Mark”), a hole in the mountain, which according to tradition was opened by the Virgin Mary, on her way to Proussos Monastery.
Further down, at the height of Karitsa, starts the gorge of Vothonas, which ends in the river Karpenissiotis. Here you will enjoy nature, with plane trees, lakes and waterfalls featuring with climbing holds. Shortly after Karitsa, 20 km from Karpenisi, you will see 7 white marble marks on the rock, called “Footsteps of the Virgin Mary” as it is said that these are the footprints left by the Virgin Mary on her way to Proussos.
The chapel found there is full of all kinds of votive offerings. Where the Virgin Mary “stopped walking”, at Proussos Monastery or Panagia Prousiotissa, about 30 km from Karpenissi, her icon was found in a cave her icon, which had travelled to Greece from Bursa in Asia Minor. It is where the chapel was built, which now houses the miraculous icon. The icon is attributed to the Evangelist Luke and is covered in silver, which is said to have been donated to the Monastery by Georgios Karaiskakis, after staying there for 6 months, recovering from an injury in a battle of 1823. Around the chapel, at the edge of Proussiotis ravine, the Monastery developed, which soon became of the greatest pilgrimages in Central Greece.
In the museum of the monastery you will admire not only sacred relics, but also the sword, fez and pistol of Karaiskakis. The four-storey tower on the opposite hill, will certainly catch your eye. Along with it, stands the building of the School of Greek Culture where Cosmas of Aetolia taught.
The two stone-built towers with crenels preserved above the Monastery, are called Karaiskakis’ Towers.
The monastery has, among other things, guest-houses for visitors.
