The twenty holy monasteries on the peninsula of Athos are composite building complexes which were constructed and developed around the Catholicon, the central church of the monastery. These buildings were enclosed by protective walls, by edifices of a fortress-nature, build on the perimeter and with defensive towers in order to overcome various adverse events. Near the Catholicon, which is the center and core of monastic life and is located in the center of the courtyard, we usually find the bell tower and the refectory. This last building is next to the kitchen, the bakery and other auxiliary spaces. Amongst the buildings build on the perimeter we have the wings, housing the monk’s cells, the Guest Quarters for the hospitality of visitors, the Abbot’s office and the Synodicon. There are also the nursing house and the library. In a specially protected space, once in the tower, there is the Icon room and the Vestry, where icons, vessels, heirloom and records are kept. On the ground and basement spaces on the wings we find other auxiliary spaces, such as the krasario (the wine cellar), the candle making facility and ladario, where the monks keep the oil. Outside of the monastery’s courtyard there is the cemetery and cemetery church, the workers’ housing, the stables, the carpenter’s shop, the machine shop and others. The boathouse of the monastery is frequently protected by a tower and complemented by warehouses and other auxiliary buildings. The twenty holy monasteries on Mt. Athos are, in their hierarchical order:

• Great Lavra
• Vatopedi
• Iviron
• Hilandar
• Dionysiou
• Koutloumousiou
• Pantokratoros
• Xiropotamou
• Zografou
• Dochiariou
• Karakallou
• Filotheou
• Simonos Petras
• Agiou Pavlou
• Stavronikita
• Xenophontos
• Osiou Grigoriou
• Esphigmenou
• Agiou Panteleimonos
• Konstamonitou