Agion Oros The Holy Mountain
The city of mount Athos is situated in the entire third, eastern and most beautiful peninsula of Halkidiki, called the peninsula of Athos. It is the only place in Greece, that is completely dedicated to prayer and worship of God. For this reason, it is called the Holy Mount. The natural beauty of the peninsula is extraordinary. The Mount Athos that dominates is a huge cone of 2.033 metres in height. It’s a naked, treeless crest that seems to lance the sky and its slopes are fully covered by ancient evergreens. All these help to create an area of incomparable natural beauty
The Holy Mount is a self- governed part of the Greek state, subject to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its political aspect and to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinopole as regards its religious aspect. It has been divided into twenty self- governed territories. Each territory consists of a cardinal monastery and some other monastic establishments that surround it (cloisters, cells, cottages, seats, hermitages). All the monasteries are communes (of a convent nature) which means that there is common liturgy, prayer, housing, nourishing and work among the monks. The Superior of the monastery, being elected by the monks for life, is responsible for the affairs of the monastery. The Superiors of the monasteries are members of the Holy Assembly and exercise legislative authority.Moreover, every year the monastery elects its representative to the Holy Community which exercises administrative authority, while the Holy Supervision exercises executive authority and consists of 4 members, elected by the 5 hierarchically preceding monasteries.
In Mount Athos, in particular, beyond the performance and flourishing of Byzantine religious arts, there are guarded authentic works and precious artefacts of that era: Mount Athos is today the largest museum of Byzantine art in the world. The buildings and art treasures that are kept there constitute an everlasting proof and reassurance for the spiritual and artistic wealth of the Orthodoxy Church. In other words Mount Athos, is one of the main bearers and guardians of orthodoxy today, it constitutes a tower of strength, spirituality and morality for the Orthodox people everywhere.
The original decree banning women, and female animals (except cats, which help control the rat population), from the enclave was issued by the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomachos in 1045. Under Greek law, a breach of the ban by a woman can still lead to a jail sentence. The ban on female animals is enforced as strictly as possible. The monks maintain that the presence of women slows their path towards spiritual enlightenment.This May 2009 Paris has been granted the privilege of hosting a world premiere of the Byzantine treasures of Mount Athos, largely as a result of France’s presidency of the EU last year. For the first time in almost 1,000 years, many of the legendary Christian artefacts are on view to women at the Petit Palais (until July).
Women are still forbidden to enter the site.
Some did.
http://www.athensguide.com/journalists/articles/athos.htm