The monastery of Karakalou, was built during the years of the fatal emperor Romanos IV Diogenes, overlooks the sea from the plateau on the northeast slope of Mount Athos. After its complete desolation in the 13th century, it was renovated by the Palaiologists. Another major disaster in the 16th century, was covered by the ruler of Wallachia, Peter, who dwelled here as a hermit. The monastery also suffered by Arab and Latino pirates and paid its active participation in the resistance against the Turks; indeed, its leader, Damaskinos, was expelled because he assisted the chieftain Karatasos. In the late 19th century, many Russian monks attempted to occupy the monastery in the way they did in the monastery of Panteleimon, but here they did not make it.
The monastery is guarded in the southwest by an imposing tower, the largest on the Mount, visible from a long distance and well-preserved. On the side of the sea, it is protected by the tower of its ???? , a work of the 16th century, which bears one front fortification and battlements.
The purple catholic is dedicated to the apostles Peter and Paul. It was wall painted by the famous Theophanis Kris. In the iconostasis of the temple is the wonderful icon of the apostles Peter and Paul, the work of Constantine Palaiokapas, while in his wood-carved Byzantine iconostasis is saved a remarkable portable icon of the 12 Apostles, work of Dionysios of Fourna (1722).
The monastery maintains a small archive and a library of manuscripts.
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