The monastery is located east/southeast from Nestani at an altitude of 980 meters, on the Goulas mountain (1160 m.), which has a semi-conical shape, since its slopes become abruptly narrow towards the top. It is around 15 km away from Tripoli. The monastery of Gorgoepikoos is very imposing on the areas landscape.
Visitors enter the monastery through two entrances: On the way up in the west there is the predominant newer stone staircase, which ends in the arching gate of the storehouse and stables. The second entrance is at the south side of the monastery. The area around the rectangular building is open. The structures, although there have been modifications and changes in the layout, are still two stories tall. The upper floors are mostly used as cells or guest rooms and the ground floors with their patios as storehouses.
The strategically important area of Goulas in the past had buildings, worship grounds and churches within its cavernous folds. At the east side of the monastery, on the roots of mount Goulas, the Byzantines built a temple in honor of Christ's Assumption. This is located within the natural cavern and is now in ruins.
The Assumption temple of Goulas continues inside the cavern and extends west. Today the eastern semicircular alcove and the start of the southern wall still stand, while the northern side had been carved in the rock, which was the temples cavernous roof. To support the extension to the west, an elevated wall had been constructed, on which we can see wooden connectors from cedar. The template was full of icons, with whole pieces of some still preserved until this day.
The icon of Madonna is one of 17 painted by Apostle Luke. It is known in Greece and abroad and a large number of pilgrims visit it throughout the year. An old custom kept until this day is for mother to offer in Her name the baptism of their child in the monastery.
The icon of Gorgoepikoos is celebrated on October 1st and on August 15th a three day long celebration is made in her honor.
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