Monastery of Panagia Elona

The Monastery of Panagia Elona clings to a steep slope of Mount Parnon in Arcadia, a Byzantine-era foundation that seems to grow from the rock itself. This women's monastery, also called Elonis or Elona, sits within the Kosmas municipal unit of South Kynouria, about 35 kilometres from Tyros and 17 kilometres from Leonidio. Its protected status speaks to the site's enduring significance, and the 2001 census counted four nuns living here. The setting alone rewards the journey, a place where centuries of devotion meet the sheer, dramatic landscape of the Peloponnese.