Behind the gate, a spacious arcade with green plants leads to a shady courtyard that surrounds the church. The height of the buildings make one constantly look upwards. The cathedral is literally built within the embrace of the rock, with only a narrow passage behind the sanctuary to accommodate the rounded shape of the apse. This area and the structures in it were part of the large-scale extensions of the 19th century.
In 1816, the construction of the wall and large western wing were begun under the supervision of the Archimandrite Anthimos Komnenos of the Monastery, who also became an Abbot. The wing included a new refectory and chapels; the upper floors were made of timber. In 1819-20, the bell tower was built. However, the work was interrupted for a few years, one of the severe consequences of the failed 1821 Greek Revolution for Independence in Halkidiki. Anthimos himself had to flee from the Ottomans since he was presumed to be member of the Greek Company of Friends, a secret group which planned and supported the Revolution. The renovations were later restarted, and continued until the middle of the 19th century, when the impressive cathedral with its eleven domes was completed, at the expense of the Abbot Sophronius Kalligas. As early as 1830, new monks began to come from the island of Kefalonia, a trend which continued until the middle of the 20th century, when they constituted the majority of the fraternity.
