The founding of the monastery in AD 963 by Athanasius the Athonite marks the beginning of the organized monastic life at Mount Athos.

The founder of Great Lavra, Athanasius, began the construction of the buildings in 963, according to the will of his friend and Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas who funded the project.

The building project, according to the biography of Athanasius the Athonite (11th century), began with the protective wall and continued to the church and cells.

The emperors favored its development and during the 11th century there were 700 monks, while smaller monasteries had been ceded to Great Lavra.

[2] The result of the crisis was the formation of a peculiar way of monasticism, the Idiorrhythmic Way,[3] despite the objections of the official Church and the emperors.

[4] The main church (Katholikon) was founded by Athanasius who lost his life together with 6 other workers when one of the domes fell during the construction.

Some of the most important artifacts are a manuscript of a gospel with a golden cover which is a gift from Nikephoros II Phokas and the list (Kouvaras) of the monks since Athanasius.

According to the National Observatory of Athens station data, Great Lavra falls in hardiness zone 10a.