The Monastery
of Timios Prodromos is located 12 km. NE of Serres, in the bottom of a ravine
on Mt Menoikion. The catholicon (main church) was built in the 14th century and
belongs to the single-aisled domed type with lite, narthex, exonarthex and an
oblong roofed portico on the south side (Makrynariki). On the north side are two
chapels and the belfry. The rest of the buildings are organized around the catholicon:
cells, abbot's quarters, school, refectory, library, hostel. The wall paintings
of the catholicon were executed in 1300-1333 and were continued in several periods,
by various artists.
The monastery was founded in 1275-1278 by monk Ioannikios from Serres
and a few years later it was renovated by his nephew, Ioakeim, bishop of Zichne.
It soon developed to an important monastic centre with great financial prosperity,
because it was favoured by the Byzantine emperors. Patriarch George Scholarios
(Gennadios) died here and was buried in the catholicon.
The monastery, still functioning today, acquired its final form with
the addition of many buildings during the Turkish occupation.
In the years between 1972 and 1986 the roofs of several buildings
were repaired. Since 1986 restoration has been carried out at the cells of the
east wing and at the north wing.
