"The Jerusalem of the Aegean" is one way of describing Patmos, a
place of pilgrimage for the Christians. It was here that St. John
the Theologian was exiled between 95 and 97 A.D., and was inspired
to write the Book of Revelation or Apocalypse.
Later the emperor Alexios Komninos ordered the
monk Christodoulos Letrinos to found a monastery in honour of the
Apostle. Thus the holy monastery of Patmos and its most important
landmark -actually resembling a castle rather than a monastery-
was built. It is certainly worth visiting the monastery and its
museum, where you will see many priceless objects.
Patmos is a mountainous island with rocky soil
and an abundance of small coves.The port of the island is Skala,
a pleasant place but of no particular interest, except that it has
many hotels, tavernas and bars.
The majestic fortress-monastery crowns the hill
above the port, surrounded by dazzling white, cubelike houses. Among
them, there are miniscule churches and captains' mansions, separated
from each other by narrow lanes, high walls and small squares opening
onto breath-catching views over the Aegean. This is the capital
of the island, Patmos or Hora. Walk in the narrow streets to feel
the midieval atmosphere.