Lesvos island monasteries and churches
Monastery of Leimon (Moni Leimonos)
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Monastery of Taxiarches at Mantamados
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The monastery of Agios Raphael
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Monastery of Ypsilos
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Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin (Koimesis Theotokou) at Damandri
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Church of St Therapon at Mytilene
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Church of the Dormition of the Virgin (Koimesis Theotokou) at Agiasos
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Church of the Dormition of the Virgin at Petra
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Church of the Virgin (Panagia) Troulloti
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Church of the Transfiguration of Christ at Papiana
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Church of St George (Agios Georgios) at Anemotia
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Church of St John (Agios Ioannis) at Kerami
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Church of St Stephen (Agios Stephanos) at Mantamados
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Monastery Perivolis
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Monastery of Leimonos, a men convent situated in the centre of Lesbos, 14km from Kalloni to Fillia in a fertile basin. Established in Byzantine years was inhabited until the occupation of the island by the Turks. The monastery was re-founded in 1526 by St. Ignatios Agallianos, a significant personality who contributed in the rebirth of both education and the Church. At that time the well-known Leimonas school - which remained open until 1923 - functioned within the monastery enclosure. 
Is situated at the north side of Mantamados, 36 km from Mytilene and it constitutes one of the most significant places of pilgrimage on the island. In the past, it functioned as men convent and is mentioned for the first time in an ecclesiastical document from 1661. The small church of the 17th century was replaced with a bigger one of the 18th century, in the place of which the present church was erected from top to bottom in 1879, following the architectural type of the three-aisled basilica. 
The monastery was founded in 1963 after a series of dreams that led to the discovery of the relics of St Raphael, St Nikolaos and St Irene, all of whom suffered martyrdom because of the Turks in 1463. St Raphael, during his appearances, reported that he suffered martyrdom on Tuesday, April 9 in 1463, which has been proven by research conducted by the Patriarchate. The relics of little Irene were found half-burnt inside a jar, exactly as it has been reported in the dreams. The church has two floors and its decoration and hagiography is impressive as well as completely plain.
The monastery of Ypsilos is an active men monastery dedicated to St John Theologos, located on the top of the mountain Ordymnos at the west part of Lesbos, at 634m high. Tradition places the foundation of the monastery in Byzantine years, before A.D. 800, and mentions it as Monastery of Korakas, a name which was modified to Monastery of Zisira in the years of the Turkish occupation.
The monastery of Damandrion is a few km before Polichnitos and was founded in post-Byzantine years, at an era during which numerous churches and monasteries were founded on the island. The monastery catholicon (main church) is dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin and belongs to the type of a single-aisled basilica. The name Damandri is taken from a small Byzantine village, the ruins of which are very close to the monastery; the village in question is mentioned in a Metropolis Codex from 1567 to 1652.
The church of Agios Therapon dominates the city of Mytilene owing to both its impressive mass but mainly to the originality of its architectural type. The erection of this monument commenced in the beginning of the 19th century by the flourishing at that time Christian quarter and was completed in 1935. The architectural order follows the cross-in-square type; however, the monument constitutes a combination of elements from contemporary architectural trends that prevailed in the West (Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism etc). Gothic elements are prevalent as well, adding impressiveness and a distinctive style to the monument.
The church is situated in the centre of the village Agiasos and is dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin. It is a three-aisled post-Byzantine basilica (32,20 x 26,20 m.), with a marble templon made in the beginning of the 19th century and with wall paintings dating from 1838. In the church yard there is an ecclesiastical museum with numerous remarkable exhibits from the area around. The church constitutes one of the most important places of pilgrimage on Lesbos. An impressive folklore festival takes place on the 15th of August. 
The church is built in the centre of Petra (55 km from Mytilene, in the north part of the island) on a rock of approximately 40m height. 114 steps carved in the rock lead to its top. It constitutes one of the most important places of pilgrimage on Lesbos. Travellers from the 15th to the 18th century report the existence of a small castle on the top of the rock. It is probable that in an earlier phase there was a small church surrounded by walls, which in the beginning of the 17th century was replaced with a bigger one which took its present form after the repair works in 1840. This church is made of stone and follows the architectural type of a three-aisled basilica. 
Three-aisled basilica, now completely ruined. The floors of the narthex and the middle aisle are covered with interesting mosaics, decorated with animal figures, floral motives and geometric patterns. A square space at the south end of the narthex probably gave access to the gallery through a staircase. Several graves have been uncovered in the eastern part of the basilica, while a large number of architectural members lie in the south aisle, which is paved with clay plaques. The apse of an earlier building has come to light to the SW of the three-sided apse of the basilica.
The basilica was discovered by monks of the Monastery of Pithario, in the years 1884 and 1885. An inscription on the frame of the west part of the mosaic floor in the middle aisle, mentions Bishop John, who is identified as the representative of the Lesbians in the Third Ecumenical Synod of Ephesus, in 431 A.D. This inscription dates the basilica to the first half of the 5th century.
The church of Christ Transfiguration is situated in the south part of the village Papiana next to Skala Kalloni and, according to the inscription plate, it was built in 1600. It is a single-aisled wooden-roof basilica with a narthex. Particularly remarkable are the wall paintings decorating the interior of the church, which are contemporary to its erection and bear influences from the Cretan tradition. 
The church of St George (Agios Georgios) at Anemotia in the province of Methymna is situated in the lower part of the settlement. It is a small building with a tiled couple roof and, according to its inscription plate, it was built in 1702. The iconography of its wall paintings deviates from the established iconographical conventions. The circle of S. George’s martyrdom as well as the scenes of Apocalypse is of particular interest. 
The church of St John (Agios Ioannis) is located in the centre of Lesbos, at the village Kerami, between Kalloni and Papiana. It is of relatively small dimensions (11, 70 x 4, 50 m), built according to the type of a side-aisled basilica, with an addition of a wood-roofed colonnade along the north side. According to the inscription plate, the church was built in 1733. It is built of stones, while an upper zone of ceramic ornamentation is created by five horizontal zones of bricks, which alternate in their arrangement creating an impressive decoration. 
The church of St Stephen (Agios Stephanos) is located in the eastern pert of the island, near the village Mantamados. It belongs to the type of aisle less cruciform churches and dates approximately in the late Byzantine years. It was initially roofed with a dome, which however had already collapsed when the traveller Newton visited the church in the mid-19th century. The roof was rebuilt by the local inhabitants, with the placing of wooden beams in the place of the dome and the covering with bricks. In the eastern side, three semicircle apses of the holy altar are discerned, while arches ornament the north and south wall.
The monastery of Perivoli is situated in a by-passing of the country road Kalloni-Antissa, just before the village of Antissa on the banks of the Voulgaris River. It is a women convent dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin and it was devastated in recent years. In the past (at least from the 16th up to the end of the 18th century), it constituted part of the mens monastery of Taxiarches Kreokopou, which is located at approximately one hour distance from Perivoli, on the top of Mt Chalakas. On the south wall, in an apocalyptic panel worthy of Bosch, the whore of Babylon rides her chimera, and assorted sea monsters disgorge their victims, just to the right, towards the main door, the Magi approach the Virgin enthroned with the Christ child. On the north side you see a highly unusual iconography of Abraham, the Virgin and the Penitent thief of Calvary in paradise, with the mythical four rivers of paradise gushing forth under their feet; just right of this are assembled the Hebrew kings of the Old Testament.
