Monastery Mega Spilayo (in translation - "the big cave") is 10 km from the town of Kalavryta, and is the oldest monastery in Greece. It was built on a steep slope 120 meter rocky hill in 362 AD two brothers monks Simeon and Theodore.

According to legend, the brothers dreamed the same dream in which he was told to go to Achaia and find the icon of the Mother of God. The way it was supposed to indicate a local shepherdess. And so it happened. They met a shepherdess Euphrasinia, and she showed them the way to the cave, where they found the icon. The monks expanded the cave, built a chapel and were preaching in these places. The cells of the monastery were built around the entrance to the cave where the icon was found.

It is believed that the icon of the Apostle Luke made of wax almost 2000 years ago. This icon is also called "Pravoruchnitsa" as her mother holds a baby of God on the right hand. Miraculous Icon of the Mother of God to this day kept in the monastery and is considered its most important relic. Interestingly, a lot of fires, which is subjected to the monastery in its history, could not destroy this shrine.

In 840, the monastery was burned and rebuilt only in 1285 Andronicus Palaeologus. Since then, the monastery became one of the richest in the country. Mega Spilayo survived two more fires in 1400 and 1600 respectively, while in the fire destroyed the church and the library with rare manuscripts. In 1934, another fire destroyed the priceless relics. In 1936 the monastery was restored, but in December 1943 suffered serious destruction at the hands of the German invaders. Then there were shot 22 monks and other staff of the monastery, and their bodies thrown into the abyss.

Mega Spilayo is a historic shrine in Greece. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year to touch the miraculous icon of the Mother of God and worship particles of the holy relics that survived a fire. The monastery is located in a beautiful scenic location and very attractive for tourists.