Μαύρη Σπηλιά

Mavri Spilia - Black Cave - Apoklistra - Apokleistra


Useful Information

Location: 1 km south of the village Proussós.
(38.732393, 21.645433)
Open: no restrictions.
[2021]
Fee: free.
[2021]
Classification: SpeleologyErosional Cave SubterraneaCave Castle, GorgeGorge
Light: bring torch
Dimension: L=20 m, VR=15 m, A=970 m asl.
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
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History

829 monastery build around a cave where the Holy icon of Virgin Mary was found.

Description

The cave Μαύρη Σπηλιά (Black Cave) is located 1 km south of the village Proussós at the road to Tsikneika. At the small bridge across the river is a parking lot alonjg the road, a picnic place, and a stone wall with a spring. Here the Φαράγγι της Μαύρης Σπηλιάς (Gorge of the Black Cave) starts, it seems the gorge has actually no name of its own. To reach the cave you have to walk about 1 km (30min) through the gorge, the trail is very well developed with wooden bridges, elevated wooden tracks, and even railings now and then. There is also a via ferrata in the upper part of the gorge, starting at the cave, but this requires appropriate equipment and basic climbing skills. And finally there are tour operators which offer canyoning trips to the undeveloped part of the gorge. We decided to list only the cave, not the gorge.

The cave is rather small and was used as a hideout by the villagers or probably the monks of the nearby monastery. It was obviously used during the Turkish occupation and the German Occupation during World War II. For this purpose it was fortified by a simple wall with a door about 1 m above the ground. It looks like the wall is actually much older than the Turkish occupation, probably Medieval. The wooden staircase to the door and the beams which once supported floors inside the cave are long gone, only holes in the wall remain. The cave is freely accessible, but there is no support to enter the cave. Visitors have to climb the rock face on the left to a hole where the wall collapsed or somehow pull themselves up to the door. Be careful if you do so.

There are some legends about the cave. It is said to have two entrances, the other one being far away. Another legend tells about an oracle in the cave, the reason why it is also called Apoklistra. However, both are quite common and told about many caves in Greece.

The famous monastery Παναγιάς της Προυσιώτισσας (Panagia of Prousiotissa) is located at Proussós. Most visitor of Proussós are pilgrims for the monastery, but they come by coach and leave immediately after visiting the monastery. It is (almost) a cave monastery, at least it was built at a vertical cliff face and the cliff is the rear wall of the monastery building and the church. So if you drove the uncountable curves you should definitely also visit the monastery.

According to legend the evangelist Luke painted an icon of the Virgin Mary, which was worshipped in Bursa in Asia Minor. During the Iconoclasm, in the first half of the 9th century, it was transported from Bursa to Greece, in order to keep it safe. But on the way the image disappeared mysteriously. A few years later, local shepherds found it in this cave in Prousos. Emperor Theophilos repeatedly tried to take her back without success. A celestial voice told him to settle where the image was, so he abandoned the worldly and became a monk named Dionysios. One of his servants also became a monk, named Timothy, and together they founded the monastic community in Prousos. The monastery existed for many centuries, gaining an important role in the spiritual life of the area. In the early 19th century, it was the home of the famous School of Letters of Roumeli. During the revolution of 1821 it was a stronghold of the freedom fighters, among them George Karaiskakis. And during World War II and the Italian and German occupation, the monastery was again a refuge for resistance fighters. As a result it was set on fire by German troops in 1944. Today the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary is kept in a side chapel of the katholikon, in a small cave. It wears a silver gown, donated by Georgios Karaiskakis.