MONASTERY PANAGIA HOZOVIOTISSA from AMORGOS ON THE ROAD TO UNESCO

The Monastery of Hozoviotissa on the road to Unesco

The unique objects of cultural heritage show the richness of culture, nature and the possibilities of the human mind. They are like bridges between the past and the future and the preservation; of them belongs to the present generation – to us all.

Understanding the importance of cultural objects led UNESCO to commission PMP Architects, headed by Giovanni Perotti in association with Dimitris Pikionis, to form an international research team in 2012, that would indicate a study on the possible introduction of the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa in Amorgos to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The project, which has the written support of the Director of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre Mr. Francesco Bandarin, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Greek UNESCO Ambassador and the municipality of Amorgos, is already underway.

The project will last three years with studies, documentations and economic analysis undertaken in collaboration with officials from UNESCO and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), all under the supervision and responsibility of the design team PMP Architects. These include civil engineers for the static condition of the monument, a geologist for the stability of the soil, an archaeologist to document, architects to study the architecture of the monument, as well as a priest to record the religious history of the monastery and its interaction and connection with other monasteries and the historical, cultural and political history of the monastery, to name but a few.

History of the monastery

The Greek island of Amorgos is the most distant of the Cyclades. It is one of the few islands that have maintained such a strong cultural, historical and environmental identity. The choice of this monastery is based on its importance on a local and national level. The history of the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa is inseparably connected with the history of Mount Athos and the Monastery of Patmos. Mount Athos and the Monastery of Patmos, two monuments which are in the same region and approximately of the same chronological period, are already recognized by UNESCO as key monasteries of the tenth century.

The monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa is the only monument still awaiting recognition to complete their historical and religious interdependence.

The monastery of Amorgos is connected with various religious festivals and local traditions which allow the visitors to wander through the paths of history back to the Middle Ages. Local music, legends, myths, old customs and traditions pass from one generation to the other, all of them relate to the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa which can potentially become the first monument in Greece, to be recognized under the characteristics of a cultural landscape.

This is a unique opportunity to showcase an internationally renowned monument of great cultural heritage to Greece. We are looking forward to the recognition of this important monument by the Ministry of Greek Culture which will enable us to include the Monastery on the World List of UNESCO.
Visit us on Facebook, support it with your Likes, so that the monastery of Amorgos will take a place in the World Heritage List of UNESCO and on our official site which is under construction. You can also vote to promote Hozoviotissa Monastery for UNESCO Tentative list here.
Numerous ancient Greek monuments have been inscribed on the World Heritage List.

It is essential, to give recognition to the sites of more recent historical periods. Sites, for instance, which illustrate and describe the birth of byzantine architecture as well as the creation of the concept of nation. Greek monasteries are great examples of sites dating to these chronological periods.

We strongly appeal that the promotion of the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa and its outstanding universal value is understood as everyone’s business. We encourage the local population as well as the public officials to give this beautiful region the means to ensure its cultural and economic development so as to ensure its preservation for future generations.

The list of world heritage monuments of Greece already recognized by UNESCO can be found here.

To promote the Monastery of Hozoviotissa you can vote here.

Text by Dimitris Pikionis in association with Giovanni Perotti. All photos are made by Milda Levandraitytė. Apart those ones with name Kapsalis are made by George Kapsalis.