Autonomous Monastic State of Mount Athos

Άθως / Athos Άγιον Όρος / Holy Mountain
Location and extent of Mount Athos (red) in Greece
Capital	Karyesa
Languages	List Greek Bulgarian Georgian Romanian Russian Serbian
Religion	Eastern Orthodoxy
Demonym	Athonite (Αθωνίτης) Agiorite (Αγιορείτης)
Country	Greece
Government	Autonomous theocratic society led by ecclesiastical council
• Civil Governor	Aristos Kasmiroglou
• Protos (Elder Monk)	Elder Stefanos Chilandrinos
Autonomy
• Constitutional reaffirmation	1927 1975
Area
• Total	335.63 km2 (129.59 sq mi)
Population
• 2011 census	1,811
• Density	5.40/km2 (14.0/sq mi)
Currency	Euro (€) (EUR)
Location of the primary church (the Protaton) for the Athonite administration and the seat of the Protos (elder monk) since 911.
Sovereign monasteries Great Lavra (Μεγίστη Λαύρα, Megísti Lávra) Vatopedi (Βατοπέδι or Βατοπαίδι) Iviron (Ιβήρων, Iverta monasteri; ივერთა მონასტერი) Hilandar (Χιλανδαρίου, Chilandariou; Хиландар) Dionysiou (Διονυσίου) Koutloumousiou (Κουτλουμούσι) Pantokrator (Παντοκράτορος, Pantokratoros) Xeropotamou (Ξηροποτάμου) Zografou (Ζωγράφου; Зограф) Dochiariou (Δοχειαρίου) Karakalou (Καρακάλλου) Filotheou (Φιλοθέου) Simonos Petra (Σίμωνος Πέτρα or Σιμωνόπετρα) Saint Paul's (Αγίου Παύλου, Agiou Pavlou) Stavronikita (Σταυρονικήτα) Xenophontos (Ξενοφώντος) Osiou Grigoriou (Οσίου Γρηγορίου) Esfigmenou (Εσφιγμένου) Saint Panteleimon's (Αγίου Παντελεήμονος, Agiou Panteleimonos, Пантелеймонов; or Rossikon, Ρωσικό) Konstamonitou (Κωνσταμονίτου)

Mount Athos
Highest point
Elevation	2,033 m (6,670 ft)
Prominence	2,012 m (6,601 ft)
Listing	Ultra
Coordinates	40°09′26″N 24°19′35″E / 40.15722°N 24.32639°E / 40.15722; 24.32639Coordinates: 40°09′26″N 24°19′35″E / 40.15722°N 24.32639°E / 40.15722; 24.32639
Geography
Location	Greece
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Type	Mixed
Criteria	i, ii, iv, v, vi, vii
Designated	1988 (12th session)
Reference no.	454
State Party	Greece
Region	Europe

Mount Athos (/ˈæθɒs/; Greek: Άθως, Áthos, [ˈaθos]) is a mountain and peninsula in northeastern Greece and an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism. It is governed as an autonomous polity within the Greek Republic. Mount Athos is home to 20 monasteries under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

Mount Athos is commonly referred to in Greek as the "Holy Mountain" (Ἅγιον Ὄρος) and the entity as the "Athonite State" (Αθωνική Πολιτεία, Athoniki Politia). Other languages of Orthodox tradition also use names translating to "Holy Mountain" (e.g. Bulgarian and Serbian Света гора, Russian Святая гора, Georgian მთაწმინდა). In the classical era, while the mountain was called Athos, the peninsula was known as Acté or Akté (Ἀκτή).

Mount Athos has been inhabited since ancient times and is known for its nearly 1,800-year continuous Christian presence and its long historical monastic traditions, which date back to at least 800 A.D. and the Byzantine era. Today, over 2,000 monks from Greece and many other countries, including Eastern Orthodox countries such as Romania, Moldova, Georgia, Bulgaria, Serbia and Russia, live an ascetic life in Athos, isolated from the rest of the world. The Athonite monasteries feature a rich collection of well-preserved artifacts, rare books, ancient documents, and artworks of immense historical value, and Mount Athos has been listed as a World Heritage Site since 1988.