Karyes (Athos)

Karyes (also: caries; Greek Καρυές ) is the capital of the autonomous monastic state of Mount Athos.

The village has about 200 inhabitants and is the seat of government, the Parliament and the Government of the monastic state and the representative of the Greek state. It is situated on an altitude of 400 meters with views of the golf Strymonic.

In ancient times there was a temple of Artemis in Karyes.

Organization of administrative

Each of the 20 major monasteries sent two monks to Karyes. This circle is the "parliament" of the clerical state. MEPs of 19 monasteries each live in so-called Konak ( embassies ) of their monasteries. Only the members of the monastery Koutloumousiou live because of proximity in their home monastery. Four monks from four different monasteries form a government ( Protat ), in which all decisions must be unanimous. Documents the unanimity is the fact that the official seal is divided into four sections and each of the four members of the government has each quarter. Since decisions are documented with Seal, it is required that all government members add their part seal.

Location, infrastructure and transport

The place is centrally located on the peninsula of Athos and is also the largest transportation hub. There are regular bus services to Dafni, the main port, as well as more or less regular taxi bus to the monasteries, which are directly connected by (gravel ) road with Karyes. Karyes consists of scattered two-storey houses and next to the embassies and government and administrative buildings are found in Karyes a bank, an office of the OTE, a police station, a first-aid station and various shops for the intellectual (books, icons, sacred objects ) and daily (food, tools, phone cards and the like) required. A post office, a pharmacy and a restaurant complete the village atmosphere of this place.

Structures

In Karyes are also the Skete Agios Andrea with the largest Orthodox church in the Balkans and the adjacent Athonitis School ( University of Byzantine theology ) and the main church of Athos, in which also the first constitution (written on the skin of a goat ) stored is.