Mounde monastery is situated in a thick pine forest in Vathes, an area of exceptional beauty, with a reservoir that has become a shelter for aquatic birds, 3 km east of Raches.
The monastery is dated from the 15th century, it has three aisled architectural structure, and it's dedicated to St. Mary of the Annunciation. It has wooden carved temples and beautiful agiographic icons by the artist Zosimas of Chios.
Above the main entrance, there is a sign that says "Holy Monastery of Mounde, first built in 1460 and renovated in 1893".
According to the legend, a hermit from Chios was the founder of the monastery, which was always a very popular place, created to meet the religious needs of simple people. During the time when Ikaria was an island of exile (1947-1949), exiles and locals who suffered from tuberculosis were sent there to recover.
