New Athos Monastery (New Athos)

 monastery, orthodox christianity, pilgrimage, interesting place

New Athos Monastery (Russian: Новоафонский монастырь, Novoafonskiy monastir’; Georgian: ახალი ათონის მონასტერი, akhali atonis monast’eri) is a monastery in New Athos, municipality of Gudauta, in a breakaway republic of Abkhazia, founded in 1875 by monks who came from the St. Panteleimon Monastery in Mount Athos. They founded the church of St. Panteleimon on Mount Iveria, on the territory of present New Athos. Construction works of the monastery were carried out in 1883-1896 as well.
In the centre of the west building bell-tower 50 metres (160 ft) high is erected. In the lower part of the bell-tower, a monastic refectory is located. In the middle of the monastic complex stands the five-domed church of St. Panteleimon, in the architecture of which traits of the so called Neo-Byzantine style are discernible. Interior of the church is totally embellished with the mural decoration.