Panagia Krimniotissa

In southern Samothrace, the visitors of the island can see a chapel standing at the edge of the cliff! It is Panagia Krimniotissa of Samothrace (Virgin Mary), which took its name from the steep and wild cliffs that surround it (Krimnos – cliff). Many have likened the chapel to an eagle’s nest, due to the way it stands alone amid the rocks.
According to the tradition surrounding Panagia Krimniotissa, during the iconoclastic period of Samothrace, shepherds found the icon of the Virgin Mary near Pachia Ammos, the beach that lies nearby, and brought it to a cave in order to protect it. The next day, however, miraculously, the image disappeared from the cave and was found on a rock at the edge of the cliff. It was then decided to build the chapel of Panagia Krimniotissa there and to carve fifty steps in the rock leading to this day the visitors up to the chapel.
The view from the top of the rock and the church of Panagia Krimniotissa is enchanting: endless ocean, the bay of Pachia Ammos, Imbros and and a unique sunset!
To get to Panagia Krimniotissa take the road that leads to Pachia Ammos and just before you reach it turn on the concrete road that has a length of about 3 km. In the end, at an altitude of 311 meters the chapel is built.