Small and large monasteries and temples were established in Mount Pelion from the 10th to the 14th A.D. Century. The number of the monasteries was so large, that Mount Pelion was called as “Mount of the Monasteries” or “second Mount Athos”. After the establishment of each monastery, farmers and growers were gathered round it and this was the start of the creation of the first villages. The Byzantine noble family of “Melissinoi”, who ruled the area of Pelion during the Crusader occupation, built monasteries and conceded parcels of land to them. The usual order of the monasteries’ temple was the order that was used in the monasteries of Mount Athos. This means a temple with three niches and a dome. One historical monastery is the “Holy Monastery of St John the Baptist” near the village of Siki. It has been characterized as historical and preservable monument since 1976. It was restored in 1795 from Stergios Basdekis, son of one of the leaders of the Greek rebellion against the Ottomans in Mount Pelion, when Abbot was David, as it is referenced in stone built- in inscription. The restoration was continued until 1839 by the Abbot Damaskinos. The monastery had monks until 1911, but then it decayed for 70 years. In 1984 it started to be open again, this time with nuns, which came from the Holy Monastery of St Stephan in Meteora. Today, Abbess Agathofimi and ten nuns continue the restoration and renovation of the monastery at the same time they run a significant spiritual work. TheMonasrterycelebratesin29thAugust.