The Monastery was built in the 17th century by Aynaroz monks and had been abandoned in the 20th century. The inspiration for these buildings comes from the architectural forms of monasteries found throughout the Aegean region: a rectangular building, a dome and an octagonal roof. The buildings lacked proper foundations and were not structurally sound and the Conservation Council suggested that the chapel should be restored whilst other buildings reconstructed. Building authenticity was conserved by re-using original stone and brick in the rebuilding. The interaction of ‘time and space’ was emphasized when reconstructing the buildings into their new function as a museum, now listed as an historic cultural asset by the Conservation Council.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture