A unique experience of immersion and architecture awaits you on the eastern and steep part of the rock with the medieval name of Polyfengous, the so-called ‘’Mountain of Holy Mary’’ as the locals call it, at the entrance of Nemea. There, you will find the Virgin of the Rock, ruins of an old church literally built inside the cave. On the southern part of the rock you will also see a unique medieval settlement, the remains of which testify that the houses were built tangentially to each other, while at the root of the rock there is a water tank, apparently for the water supply of the settlement. At the top of Plyfengos there are also ruins of a massive wall with battlements.
It is about the small fortress of Polyfengos that controlled the narrow entrance to Nemea. On the rocky wall of the ruined church, frescoes of excellent art are preserved today, which are considered to be from the 11th or 12th century.
The Monastery is only one kilometre from Nemea. The road brings us to the stone-built, arched entrance, from which we enter the narrow courtyard, having the rock always ‘’next’’ to us and on the left there is a building which functioned as a hospital for the heroes of Kolokotroni, which remains preserved until today. To the right and quite high are the cells and the Catholic Church of the Monastery. Now the Monastery of Holy Mary is an ancient Byzantine monument.
Virgin of Rock