The Monastery of Artamitis is the most important place of worship for the villagers and it is about 7.5km north of Agios Isidoros. The monastery took its name from an ancient temple dedicated to Artemis, goddess of hunting, wild nature and fertility, which once stood in the area. The monastery was built in the 9th century by an Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, and in more modern times, it served as a centre for scholars and writers, a permanent gathering place for the intelligentsia.

 

The monastery played an important role during the Turkish occupation as these thinkers inspired the morally-wounded inhabitants by keeping the flame of the Greek spirit alive during the dark years of the enslavement. Sadly, the monastery suffered a marked decline from the 18th century onwards, as it drew fewer and fewer scholars. Then, as a result of raids and earthquakes, the original building was damaged and had to be completely rebuilt in 1859.