Chora is the main attraction of Patmos and the capital of the island. Built so as to be seen from miles away, it captivates you once you see it. With the monastery atop it, the manors surrounding, and its sweet scent coming from the jasmine and geranium, it is surely one of the most beautiful island capitals of the Aegean Sea.
Since 1999, it has been on UNESCO’s (Organization of the European Union for Education, Science and Culture) list of world heritage sites. The reason for this is the following: “The Chora of Patmos is one of the few settlements in Greece that has been developing non-stop since the 12^th century. There are some places in the world, where religious rituals remain unchanged since the Paleo-Christian era. The monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of the Revelation, together with the settlement of Chora that dates back to the Middle Ages, are a great example of the traditional Greek Orthodoxy and a pilgrimage center with high architectural interest”.
The Square of Xanthos and the Square of Saint Levia are the two central squares of Chora. The first houses of the area were built at the same time as the monastery by Constantinopolitans, Cretans, and Asia Minor Greeks.