Situated at a distance of some 25 kilometers northwestern to the town of Zakynthos and 6 kilometers southeastern to the village of Volimes, the monastery is dedicated to Virgin Mary and has been established in mid-15th century, during the early period of the Venetian domination of the island.

The monastery is surrounded by various buildings, which, apart from their main functions, also serve as protecting walls. The entrance is roofed with a magnificent arch and protected by a square defensive tower. At the center of the complex of buildings it is situated the Catholicon, a three-aisle basilica with two series of constructed columns dividing the aisles from one another. The wall paintings of the church are dated back to the period when it was built (15th century) and are certainly worth seeing.

The building is a Byzantine Monument supervised by the 6th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities and both the Monastery in general and the Catholicon in particular is open to visitors and admission is free.

It is in this Monastery that Aghios Dionyssios, the protector of the island, an offspring of Siguro, a noble family of the island became monk and abbot.