The 20 Monasteries of Mount Athos

Mount Athos is home to exactly 20 monasteries — no more, no less. This number is enshrined in the Constitutional Charter of Mount Athos and cannot be increased or decreased. Each monastery holds a position in the hierarchy that was determined centuries ago.

Of the 20 monasteries, 17 are Greek, one is Russian (Agiou Panteleimonos), one is Serbian (Chilandariou), and one is Bulgarian (Zografou). Together they form the Holy Community, the central governing body of the Athonite State, headquartered in Karyes.

Complete Ranking

#	Monastery	Founded	Nationality
1	Great Lavra 963 · Greek	963	Greek
2	Vatopedi 972 · Greek	972	Greek
3	Iviron 976 · Greek	976	Greek
4	Chilandariou 1198 · Serbian	1198	Serbian
5	Dionysiou 1375 · Greek	1375	Greek
6	Koutloumousiou 1169 · Greek	1169	Greek
7	Pantokratoros 1363 · Greek	1363	Greek
8	Xeropotamou 956 · Greek	956	Greek
9	Zografou 971 · Bulgarian	971	Bulgarian
10	Dochiariou 1045 · Greek	1045	Greek
11	Karakalou 1070 · Greek	1070	Greek
12	Philotheou 992 · Greek	992	Greek
13	Simonos Petras 1257 · Greek	1257	Greek
14	Agiou Pavlou 934 · Greek	934	Greek
15	Stavronikita 1541 · Greek	1541	Greek
16	Xenofontos 998 · Greek	998	Greek
17	Gregoriou 1345 · Greek	1345	Greek
18	Esphigmenou 1001 · Greek	1001	Greek
19	Agiou Panteleimonos 1169 · Russian	1169	Russian
20	Konstamonitou 1080 · Greek	1080	Greek

Other Monastic Institutions

Besides the 20 sovereign monasteries, Mount Athos is home to many other monastic institutions that are dependent on the monasteries:

Sketes: Smaller monastic communities dependent on a monastery. There are 12 sketes, some with a communal organization and their own church.
Kellia (Cells): Individual buildings with a chapel where small groups of monks live (usually 2-6). They belong to a monastery and are granted for the lifetime of the monks.
Kalyves (Huts): Simpler monk dwellings, often without a chapel. They are grouped together to form sketes.
Hesychasteria (Hermitages): Isolated retreats for monks devoted exclusively to prayer and silence. They are found in remote locations, sometimes even in caves.