CHURCHES, CHAPELS & MONASTERIES in KEA (TZIA)
As all cycladian islands, Kea has numerous churches, chapels and monasteries of all shapes and sizes. Approximately 140 churches have been counted but it is common for every family to built a chapel at any time. The island has three cathedrals and several Byzantine monasteries. In order to visit some of them one has to pass through some interesting routes or signed paths.The most important churches of Kea are:
1) PANAGIA KASTRIANI Monastery and the near by AGIA ANNA Byzantine Monastery (16th century) which lies on the top of a hill to the east of Ioulida. Now it is abandoned but in the 17th century it was a prominent monastery in the island
2) AGIOS CHARALAMBOS, the patron saint of the island (celebrated on 10th February) who saved it from a plague in 1823.
3) AGIA MARINA church & ancient Tower
4) PRODROMOS Monastery
5) EPISKOPI Monastery is one of the oldest in Kea. It has remainings of fortifications and an ancient column inside the church, which indicates that there used to lie an ancient Temple dedicated to Artemis. An important script (4th century) with the names of Ioulida & Korisia citizens was also found there.
6) AGIOI APOSTOLOI (12th century) is a chapel with interesting hagiographies.
7) AGIOS ISIDOROS in Pisses
8) PANAGIA, AG. VLASSIS & AG. EMILIANOS in Koundouros
9) AGIOS NIKOLAOS ELLINIKON