The monastery was founded at the beginning of the 12th century by the ascetic Jeremiah, who was the first to occupy in the rock in the year 1191-1192, according to historical documents. Hosios Anthony (15th century) and Hosios Philotheos (16th century) recreated and completed the buildings of the monastery. However the buildings, which were constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries, gave the monastery its present form.

It is noteworthy that during its long history, the monastery of Saint Stephen’s was well-known for its great contribution to the struggles of the nation, as it was the headquarters of the Macedonian Struggle. The contribution to Greek education was also particularly important with the running a Primary School – Orphanage.

Admire the old small temple of the monastery of post-Byzantine architecture, with its magnificent 16th century wall-paintings and the new church with the hagiorite-style architecture and brilliant hagiographies of Cretan style, recently wall-painted by the most important modern hagiographer Vlassi Tsotsoni.

Impressive and well-renovated is the old dinning room of the St. Stephen’s Monastery, which works today as a museum-sacristy and houses a truly priceless threasure of ecclesiastical heirlooms and sacred utensils, as well as a valuable and rich collection of manuscripts, parchments and rare old books.

Don’t miss to sit for a while in the courtyard of the monastery and admire the spectacular view of Kalampaka city and the vast Thessalian valley, which surely looks like a work of art!

• The monastery celebrates three times a year: on January 17 (Saint Anthony), on February 10 (Saint Charalambos) and on December 27 (Saint Stephen’s)
• Contact: +30 24320 22279
• Summer visiting hours: 09:00 – 13:30 & 15:30 – 17:30 Every Monday closed
• Winter visiting hours: 09:30 – 13:00 & 15:00 – 17:00 Every Monday closed