A stone's throw from the archaeological site of Ancient Messina (5 km. SE), in a secluded, wooded ravine near the village of Petralona lies the Monastery of the Transfiguration, also known as "Andromonastiro". This is undoubtedly the most important monastery complex in Messinia, which impresses the visitor from the first moment. It is, after all, and one of the best preserved monasteries in Greece. Since 2011 there has been ongoing restoration work of the Monastery by the 26^th Committee of Byzantine Antiquities.

The construction of the temple dates back to the late 12th to early 13th century. According to the tradition, it was given either the name Andronikomonastiro, or Andromonastiro or Andriomonastiro to distinguish it from the nearby female monastery of Samarina near the village Ellinoekklisia. The complex of the monastery has a defence construction and consists of a three storey building of the Holy Bank, the Catholic (a two storey wing where there were the monks' cells and stables), even a two-story building which is connected with a passage to the main entrance of the monastery, and other minor buildings. It is a great set of buildings with great history and architecture.