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Todays village of Asfendiou is located on the northern sides of Mount Dikeos and is historically connected with the Byzantine Monastry of Spondon. It is considered that the name comes from the existence of a catholic Monastry Spondon in the area, the temple of St Mary Kouvouklianis or Kouvoukli. It is divided into five districts, Lagoudi, Asomato, Evangelistria, Zia and Haihoutes. Up until the 1960’s the residents of the area were mainly farmers and cultivated vineyards, tomatoes,
olive trees and tobacco in the fertile southern plain of the island. This si where Linopoti and Zipari is today. The main residence of the families was on the mountain but they also had small houses in the plain. The biggest district was Asomatos which got its’ name from the temple of St Asomatos which made up the centre of life of the settlement and had the biggest financial fortune.
Zia is more to the south and a more mountainous area of Asfendiou close to the springs of the mountain and the well known spring Kefalovrisi, whose water passes through Zia from north to south watering gardens and supplying water to the watermills of the area. The area was full of Cypress trees and on the northern side of the mountain, south of Zia is the temple of St George, the temple of St Mary Kiparissiotisas or Melissinis and at the spring of Kefalovrisi is the temple of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Haihoutes are a small deserted area which according to tradition got its’ name from the family Haihoudon or Haihouton, who were the first to reside there. It’s situated southeast from Asomato, along the old wagon road of Zia towards Asclipio. The temple of St Dimitrios is located in Haihoutes.
Lagoudi is east of Konariou and Old Pyli and is connected with the area Evangelistria by an old wagon road and the old stone paved road leads to Kontopodi in Zia.In the southwest part is where Pyrgi is situated, which is well known from the records kept by the Monastry of Patmos. This is where the small domed temple of St John Theologou is and a part of a medieval fortified area. East of the hill two watermills were saved which supply water from the spring which is in Pyrgi.
Church of Taxiarchon Mihail & Gabriel of Asomatos in Asfendiou (St. Asomatos) It’s situated in the area of Asomaton, which is called the district “Kariotes” and was founded around the end of the 18th century. According to local tradition a young shepherd found an icon in the forest. He took it home and put it in his domestic shrine. The next day the icon was gone, he looked for it and found it in the forest again. The icon was of Asomato Archangel and the residents of the village built a church where it was found, dedicated to the Archangel.The church had great fortune and in 1840 acquired the form and shape it has today, with its’ stone paved yard, the foyer, the women’s prayer area and the cells. The ells were used as a school in the area during the Turkish reign.
Church of Virgin Mary Evangelistria Asfendiou It was built at the beginning of the 19th century in the place of an older church, after the decision of the parishioners to built a bigger church. According to sources, during the building a worker was killed by a rock that fell and the locals gave it the nickname St Mary the Murderer. The temple of the church was made in 1931, it was donated by  a monk from the Agiotafiki Brotherhood from Jerusalem Innokentiou Nikita Horafiou.
Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Zia (St. Mary Kouvoukliani) The church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is situated in the village of Zia and is a parishioner church. It has been related to the Monastery of Spondon(13th century) which according to records in the archives of the Monastery in Patmos was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. According to local tradition which is based on a fake sealed letter by Joseph Pagalou (1261), the Monastery  of Spondon used to belong to the Monastery of Patmos  and was owned by Christodoulou Latrinou (11th century). From the archives of the Monastery of Patmos an important document was saved about the history of the Monastery. It states that in the 13th century 83 inhabitants of Kos asked for the Monastery of the Virgin Mary to be taken over by the Monastery of Patmos so it could survive. In May 1258 the Patriach Arsenios, gave a document which stated that the Monastery of Patmos was obtaining the Monastery of Spongdon along with all its fortune. The church belongs to a Byzantine type of the simple four column cross bearing church with a dome and antenave. The two storey exterior antenave was added in 1919. Today the church has new murals.
St. George Theriotis or Thiriavlis Zia The church of St George which is located in the most southern part of the settlement of Zia is a small covered one area church and has the name St George Theriotis or Thriavlis. According to sources it has a tower and cells for the pilgrims. Inside the church there are murals from the 13th century which depict the Prayer of the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus and St John Prodromou. There is also another depiction from the 13th century which shows St George in military attire and St Panteleimon in formal attire kneeling. The monk Lucas donated  this mural.
Church of the Presentation of the Bledded Virgin Mary The church of the Blessed Virgin Mary is situated in the couth of Zia, at the spring of Kefalovrisi and according to sources it was part of the Byzantine Monastery of Spondon. The oldest construction phase of the monastery it the covered area of the Holy Sanctuary. In other construction phases the main church, the anrenave and the portico were all built later. The interior of the church had murals which are covered today with whitewash. The spring Kefalovrisi is the well known holy water of the monastery Spondon or the Blessed Virgin Mary of Kouvoukli, which supplied water to the village.
St. Mary Kiparissiotisa or Melissini Zia It got its name Kiparissiotisa from the lush mountain side on which it is located east of Zia among the cypress trees. The name Melissini was given according to local tradition because of the apiaries which existed in the area, while others think the name was given because of the Byzantine family Melissinon which had a connection to the monastery. It’s a small single chamber church with a semi circle arch in the eastern side and very few murals were saved from the 13th century
St. Dimitrios Church in Haihoutes It’s is situated in the deserted area of Haihoutes and is a single chamber covered church with a two storey antenave. In the church there are built in marble parts from the Byzantine period. It is possible that his area may have been inhabited from the Byzantine times according to the files from the archives of the Archbishop of Kos. The church was repaired in 1842. The cells which were next to the church were used as a school.
Church of our Lady in Monagri Zia It’s a Byzantine church with a cross bearing dome which dates back to the 11th and 12th century. The church had a portal which was used as  women’s quarters and on the western side there is a small rectangular opening – built over today – which leads to a hiding place which contains bones. Inside there are murals of fine art from the 13th century depicting the Ascension of Christ.