The history of the monastery is mixed with many traditions. It is said that in the middle of the 12th century, the image of the birth of the Virgin Mary was miraculously found by local herders at the bottom of the cave. Thus the pious inhabitants of the area built the first small church. Another tradition mentions that the icon of the Virgin Mary was moved there, to protect it during the period of the Iconoclasm from the village of Stana, from which the monastery took the nickname of Stana. Another tradition states that its name comes from the stables of the cattle breeders that used to exist in the surrounding area.

[See image gallery at travelevritania.gr] Ο ναὸς φαίνεται ότι είναι κτίσμα του 15ου ή 16ου αιώνα, όταν η περιοχὴ είχε πυκνοκατοικηθεί, λόγω της εγκατάστασης των Τούρκων στη Θεσσαλία και στις άλλες πεδινὲς περιοχές. Τότε η Ευρυτανία και κυρίως η περιοχὴ τῶν Αγράφων, είχε πολλὲς χιλιάδες κατοίκους, πλούσια κτηνοτροφία και ανεπτυγμένη βιοτεχνία. Αυτὸ αποδεικνύεται απὸ το πλήθος των εκκλησιών που υπήρχαν σε κάθε χωριό, απὸ τα μοναστήρια και τις περίφημες Σχολὲς τῶν Αγράφων, που άκμασαν τον 16ο και 17ο αι. με ονομαστοὺς Διδασκάλους.

Source [quote]
Holy Monastery of Stana
Holy Metropolis of Karpenisi | imkarpenisiou.gr

[See image gallery at travelevritania.gr]
The monastery was completely destroyed in 1821. Until then, however, it suffered a lot of looting, burning and abduction of animals, both by the Turks and by various predatory gangs that ravaged the area. The most important of these disasters must have been that of 1821, when the monks together with Abbot Kyprianos helped Odysseus Androutsos in the victorious battle against the Turks, which took place near the Tatarna bridge.

The monastery was rebuilt in 1844 similar to the old one. After the landslides of 1963, the new monastery began to be built in 1969, when the blessed Archimandrite Dositheos (Kanellos), who is also considered the fourth founder of the monastery, took over as Abbot. Father Dositheos, who fell asleep on January 4, 2023, served as Abbot of his penitential monastery for over half a century and was an emblematic figure for Evrytania and all of Orthodoxy, with an important literary and spiritual contribution.

Source [quote]
Holy Monastery of Tatarna
Monasteries of Greece | monastiria.gr

[See image gallery at travelevritania.gr] Η εικόνα της Παναγίας της Προυσιώτισσας θεωρείται θαυματουργή και για το λόγο αυτό προσελκύει πλήθος πιστών από την Ελλάδα και το Εξωτερικό, ενώ το ασημένιο κάλυμμα της εικόνας το δώρισε ο οπλαρχηγός του Αγώνα Γεώργιος Καραϊσκάκης για να θεραπευτεί από ασθένεια από την οποία υπέφερε τον καιρό που φιλοξενούταν στη μονή στα μέσα της Επανάστασης. Μάλιστα μέχρι σήμερα υπάρχει στη μονή το κελλί στο οποίο διέμενε ο ήρωας του 1821.

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Aniada retains the peaceful and authentic character of a small Evrytanian village. Its close connection with Kaliakouda and the rich natural surroundings make it an ideal starting point for those wishing to discover a quieter, less-visited side of mountainous Evrytania.

Routes towards Kaliakouda and the mountain refuge begin from the village, passing through fir forests, small streams and old cultivated slopes. The landscape around Aniada is ideal for hiking, nature walks and exploration, with the imposing ridge of Kaliakouda dominating the horizon.