The monastery of Virgin Mary Pelekiti was built in the 15th century, near the village of Karitsa. According to the tradition, the name Pelekiti (hewed) derives from the fact that the rocky mountain wall had to be hacked during the building process.
The spot where the monastery was built was revealed to the locals through a vision, where the Virgin Mary told them where she wanted a new monastery. After building it, the faithful faced the problem related to the water supply. Then a new vision of the Virgin Mary solved it since she told them to lift a rock, something they did finding a well underneath.
The monastery started to be built by Porfyrios in the 15th century and it was finished by martyr Damianos. During the Ottoman occupation, it was used by Greek rebels as a refuge, and for this reason, there are many crypts and hatches.
Apart from the religious importance of the monastery, a visit gives the great opportunity to admire the view of the lake and the forest around it.