The monastery was built in the middle of the 13th century, but within 200 years it had already suffered serious damage due to earthquakes. Only the chapel of Saint Basil remains standing thanks to repair work undertaken in 1836. The two visible columns were once gilded and came from ancient or early Christian buildings. The tall wall that stands on the right side of the monument belonged to the bell tower. As the Ottoman Turks advanced through Greece, most impressive bell towers were demolished and the bells were melted. As the monastery declined, the surrounding area was used as a cemetery, so by the 18th century the building was almost completely covered by trees and bushes.