Visiting Ano Mera and Panagia Tourliani on Mykonos

Ano Mera gives an inland Mykonos outing a clear center. Head for the village square and the walled monastery of Panagia Tourliani. You can see how this settlement grew around a religious community simply by walking the short distance from a café table to the monastery wall.

What should I look for at Panagia Tourliani?

Begin with the contrast in materials. The main church has a marble facade, and carved reliefs decorate the bell tower. Inside the church, a gilded icon screen draws the eye toward the sanctuary. The monastery dates its foundation to 1542, but the decorated tower is later. Treat the rooms, carvings and furnishings as things successive generations added to a living institution.

What is the connection between the monastery and the village square?

The square offers a place to sit over a meal, while the monastery provides a center for the village’s religious calendar. Ano Mera marks the August feast of the Virgin and a second celebration nine days later. On an ordinary day the buildings can seem quiet, so it helps to picture how the same space serves a much larger gathering.

Is Paleokastro another name for Tourliani?

Paleokastro is a separate convent north of Ano Mera, near the remains of the medieval Gizi castle. Keep the two sites distinct when choosing a map pin. For a short visit, concentrate on Tourliani and the square. If the architecture interests you, the surrounding countryside gives you a second example of how a religious community was placed in the landscape.