Administration The administration of Athos Mount throughout its historical course, that is since when the monastic life was officially organized in this, with the edition of the “Ritual” of the Byzantine Emperor Tsimiskis Ioannis in 972 until today, it continues to be governed by a peculiar political and ecclesiastical regime. This is shown by the imperial golden bulls (decrees) and the “Rituals”, the patriarchal sigillia (documents), the Sultan's documents, the "General Regulations" of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the subsequent legislation. Today, after the Treaty of Sevres in 10 August 1920, which was confirmed by the Treaty of Lausanne in July 24, 1923, Athos Mount comes under the sovereignty of Greece and is managed according to the defined explicitly terms. Karyes The settlement of Karyes is the capital of Athos since the 10th century. Here is the seat of the Holy Community of Athos Mount and the Holy Supervision, as well as the delegations of twenty monasteries. In Karyes is the political governor while there are and various services such as police department, Post Office, Community Medical Center and OTE. Also, in the area of Karyes, is the headquarter of the ecclesiastical school of Athoniada. All the buildings in Karyes belong to these twenty monasteries. Among them there are many cells and huts of the nineteen monasteries. The Holy Monastery of Koutloumousiou has not a hut because of the minimum distance from there.

HOLY MONASTERIES OF ATHOS Holy Monastery of Megisti Lavra (963) Holy Monastery of Vatopedi (972) Iberians Holy Monastery (976) Holy Monastery of Chiliandariou or Chelandariou (1197, Serbian) Holy Monastery of Dionysious (1375) Holy Monastery of Koutloumousiou (12th century) Holy Monastery of Pantocrator (1363) Holy Monastery of Xeropotamos (11th century) Holy Monastery of Zografos (1270, Bulgarian) Holy Monastery of Dochiarios (11th century) Holy Monastery of Karakallos (1070) Holy Monastery of Filotheos (992) Holy Monastery of Simon Petras (or Simonopetra) (1363) Holy Monastery of St. Paul (11th century) Holy Monastery of Stavronikitas (1542) Holy Monastery of Xenophon (1070) Holy Monastery of Gregorios (14th century) Holy Monastery of Esfigmenos (11th century) Holy Monastery of St. Panteleimon (or Russian) Holy Monastery of Konstamonitos or Kastamonitos (1086)

The most important building of Karyes is the oldest temple of the Holy Mountain, the temple of Protatos, so named because it is the seat of Protepistatis (first) and is dedicated to Assumption of Virgin Mary. It is a basilica without a dome with subsequent addition of a transept.

The building received several interventions for its maintenance until its last renovation. Personalities such as magister Leontas (Nikiforos Fokas’ brother) and John Iviras offered many and adorned Protato with relics.

The temple of Protato, after the fire of 1290, was painted by the master builder of the Macedonian School, Manuel Panselinos in the early 14th century, with frescoes that are arranged in four successive zones. The upper and the lower zone depict coverall figures of forefathers, prophets and military saints. In both interim and wider zones depicted evangelical scenes and scenes from the life of Mary. Among these scenes, Evangelists are inserted.
Painted images of the enthroned Virgin and Christ adorn the two major shrines in front of the sanctuary. In the sanctuary are depicted mainly saints of Athos.