To the south-west of the village of Loutra and in front of the gulf of Gera near the place “Koundouroudia”, the passerby of the rural coastal road faces the small island with the small church dedicated to St. Isidore. It is probable that on this island was the old holy monastery of Ariston, which was founded by St. Simeon of Mytilene, when he was expelled by the iconoclastic emperor Leo V the Armenian. The monastery belonged to the diocese of Geras, which according to data was in the Taxiarches of Pappados. The monastery of Ariston is found in two patriarchal documents of 1261-1262 AD. Also, in a patriarchal document of 1246 it is noted that the monastery of Ariston, as well as that of St. Grigoriou Assos, belong to the diocese of Gera.
Small columns and a vaulted cistern are preserved at the site, which came to light in 1935 following excavations carried out by the archbishop of Mytilene Iakovos and revealed the two niches of the sanctuary of the small limestone temple. An old map of Reux from 1739 schematically marks a small fort on the islet, probably as a Byzantine fortification. The research showed that the temple was located on the rocky part, while on the north and west side there are foundations of buildings and abundant Byzantine pottery, including two lamps from the 12th – 13th century. and other modern utensils. It seems that towards the settlement of Pyrgo there was an area with buildings that was covered by the sea, and the strait on the opposite side is deep and there is an ancient settlement on the coast with an old source of hot water.
However, there are evidences which are consistent with the fact that the Monastery was not located on the specific island, but on the nearest islet of the Towers, called “Zesta”. In the famous grace of Chr. Buondelmonti of 1420 is depicted on an island at the mouth of the bay building, which concerns the still functioning monastery. The islet of the Towers, in 1918, the French who chartered in Loutra, fortified it by setting up a cannon in the building of the church, building a small wooden hut for the staff, and planted a metal grid in the deep northern passage to prevent the entry of German submarines.
The point, however, is a very picturesque position, from which the visitor can admire the green mountains that surround the gulf of Gera from all sides, which seem to touch the sky with their tops and with their foothills to float. at the sea. The small chapel that exists on it – as we already mentioned above – is dedicated to St. Isidoros and celebrates on May 14, when it gathers a lot of people, who approach the small island by boats.