Zeli is a mountainous village in Fthiotida in Central Greece. A dirt road 11 km long leads to the monastery of Prifitis Elias northwest of the village.

The complex is a typical example of a Greek fortified monastery. Today it is abandoned but in good condition after a recent renovation.

History

The chronology of the monument is not certain. Maybe it was founded in the Frankish period (13th to 15th cent.) but it underwent, for sure, through various changes in the following centuries. The Katholikon took its final form in the 18th century, so we can assume that the best approach to the date of the fortification is also the 18th century.

The last reconstruction took place in 2004. Although the works respected the original form of the monastery, it must have lost a lot of its authenticity and its medieval character.

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