St. Nikolas Fountoukli Monastery is a 15th-century church that stands out among the dozen Byzantine churches scattered around the countryside and mountains of Rhodes. To reach this charming and picturesque spot, one has to drive along the winding road that passes through the third-highest peak in Rhodes, the Mt Profitis Ilias. Suddenly, a vibrant plot of greenery with noble centuries-old olive trees, figs, and plane trees appear, along with a small stone church. The scenery with the peak of Mt. Prophet Ilias right behind the mysterious church is slightly surreal, making it a beautiful spot.
The church is a tetraconch domed or single-room four apses stone building. It is dedicated to Saint Nikolaos, a Christian bishop who provided for the poor and sick. According to inscriptions, the church was built in 1497/8, making it more than 500 years old. However, it is well enough preserved and taken care of by the local community of Dimilia village.
The Monastery has unique mural paintings that represent scenes of the Christological cycle, the four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, John, and Luke), saintly figures, and decorative motifs of special artistic value. In the eclectic style combining Byzantine and Western features are the real allure of the church. However, the murals have suffered from clumsy attempts at conservation under the Italian occupation of Rhodes (1912-1943). It is located in the countryside, next to a spring with a fountain, on the road leading from the village of Eleoussa to Profitis Ilias, and at a distance of 3.2 km west of Eleousa village .
The Archaeologist Nikolaos Mastochristos, in his doctoral dissertation dedicated to the church of St. Nikolaos, found that the portraits of the saints in a prominent place on either side of the western entrance of the church are the panels with the family members of donors. The elderly pansevastos logothetis Nicholaos Vardoanis with his spouse, Eudocia Strevlou are depicted on one side, whereas on the other in a heavenly whitish background, their three kids, Mary, Michael, and the youngster George. The inscriptions that accompany the portraits inform us that the kids were victims of the plague.
When you walk outside the church, you might want to look around the surroundings as well. There are two very old olive trees, probably some of the oldest olive trees on the island, with trunks more than 3 meters (9.84 ft) in diameter, and they still produce olives today. Some say that they could be as old as the church itself or even older. The church has a small park next to it with a playground and a picnic area, making it an ideal place to spend some time in nature. The spring opposite the church has the best water quality on the island, and visitors can refill their bottles with fresh drinking water.
In conclusion, the St. Nikolas Fountoukli Monastery is a beautiful and historic spot that should be on every traveler’s list while visiting Rhodes. The church’s unique mural paintings, its age, and the surroundings make it a picturesque and peaceful place to visit. The nearby park with its playground and picnic area, the fresh drinking water from the spring, and the ancient olive trees add to the attraction of the area. It is a must-visit spot for anyone who loves history, nature, and peaceful surroundings.
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