Churches and Monasteries, Athens

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At the east edge of the Plaka near the Hadrian Arch , one street east of the Monument of Lysikratus is the Ayia Ekaterina Church. It was originally built in the 11C but has bee very much redone with little remaining of the original. There is a fine dome some frescos and some important altars.

Yes, there's a big cathedral in this square - Plateia Mitropleos. But, "hidden in the shadow" of this small Byzantine gem who will notice it?

Built on the ruins of a still older temple (with stones dating from the 4th century) this church from the 12th century is something you have to visit and read about.

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Although Athens is an expensive city visiting churches is for free and you will be surprised of how many churches you’ll see around. The majority of them are Byzantine Orthodox churches, usually with a red tile dome. There used to be about 150 churches from a long period covered the early Christian years to the post-byzantine period but you can only see the ruins of them or in some other cases the new ones that replaced them. There are also many new ones and it makes you wonder what’s the point of having so many churches…

If you walk at the commercial Ermou you will see the famous Kapnikarea church (pic 1), a tiny church with a great Byzantine mosaic. The church was built in the 11th century and its dedicated to the presentation of Virgin Mary (known as Isodia Tis Theotoku in greek, the celebration is on 21st of November). There used to be an ancient temple at the same location probably dedicated to the goddess Athena..

One block away (at Evaggelistrias street) you can see another small church, it’s called Evaggelistria church(pic 2) but I never managed to find any information about it.

At Monastiraki square you can see a church from the 15th century in the middle of the square (pic 3) but also at one corner of the square one ottoman mosque(pic 4) that was built in 1759 and now houses a ceramic collection (the first years it housed a folk museum). For the marblepaster of the walls they had to explode the 17th column from Temple of Zeus!

The square is interesting anyway with all these small multicolor stones and marbles and dont miss the ruins inside the metro/subway station (the date back from 8th to 19th century). What's more there is a small part that you can take a look(and hear!!) the ancient river Iridanos that crosses the area of Monastiraki under the district!

With Monastiraki square on your back if you walk along Athinas street you will see at your right hand a tiny cute church that probably dates from the 11th century too(pic 5). Some people refer to it as the little church that the area took its name (Monastiraki means small monasteri in greek)

In Kolonaki District (at Skoufa street) is the church Saint Dionysus Aeropagus where many famous people like to get married.

3' away from Syntagma square, at Filellinon street, you can visit the St Nicodimus Russian church that was built in 11st century and its one of the oldest churches in Athens.

The church is located at a small square called Rallous Manou. There are a lot of rumours that the church was connected with a secret huge network of tunnels under the city of Athens! The truth is that there is a crypt under the church, probably at the same spot where during the ancient era was a school that was dedicated to Lycius Apollo. Later the roman emperor Hadrian built a roman bath taking advantage of the Iridanos river that was passing by from the spot.

During the mevieval era(at the end of 8th century) a small temple was built over the roman bath and during the 11th century the Russian Church was built. I never saw the crypt myself but I’ve read that the small iron trap door on the garden of the church leads to the crypt. Some of the pictures that I have seen show some parts of ancient columns and pillars while further inside you can see where the roman bath was. There is also a well where you can hear the river Iridanos (which goes under the city in our days)

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Agia Dynami church is one of the most interesting small churches to see in the city center not because it is something special itself but because the Ministry of Education was built upon the church (ok, part of it but still it’s funny to see it trying to escape under 3 columns of the big building). I guess they didn’t want to destroy this old church.

It was probably built back in the 15th century although it took its shape we see today in 1912. There used to be an ancient temple at the same spot dedicated to Hercules.

Agia Dynami (means St Power in greek) is dedicated to the birth of Virgin Mary and according the the legend Agia Dynami was the protector of the pregnants that were going there to pray.

Although tiny the church is always busy with people that go there to light a candle. I tried to learn more about the church from the priest but he wasn’t in good mood, he may thought “what does the tourist want from me now?” But it was funny when I stayed inside for a while to take a picture (nothing special anyway to see, check pic 4) he stood next to me, so I went out again and he followed me! Come on father, we are here for VT after all :)

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Although Athens is an expensive city visiting churches is for free and you will be surprised of how many churches you’ll see around. The majority of them are Byzantine Orthodox churches, usually with a red tile dome. There used to be about 150 churches from a long period covered the early Christian years to the post-byzantine period but you can only see the ruins of them or in some other cases the new ones that replaced them. There are also many new ones and it makes you wonder what’s the point of having so many churches…

If you go down Mitropoleos street from Syntagma you will see the cathedral of Athens (pic 1). It is under construction because of several damages during the 2001 earthquake in Athens The Bishop of Athens use to lead the main orthodox ceremonial events here. A lot of weddings and funerals of “important” people. The church is open til 19:00. The cathedral was built in 1842 (although it was completed in 1862). In front of the church (pic 2) is a statue of Damaskinos Papandreu that was the bishop of Athens (1941-49)

Sometimes you may catch the mass inside or small ceremonies at the front like the one with the philarmonic band I saw one saturday morning(pic 3)

Next to the cathedral you can see the medieval Little Mitropoli (pic 4) with the name Panagia Gorgoepikoos that was built in 12th century. Sometimes they tourists go away but for me this small church is way far more impressive than the big one next to it.

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You will find this church between Athina odos and Aiolu street and between Monastiraki and Omonia.

The today's St. Irene's church has been built on the remains of an old church with the same name right after the liberation from the Ottoman rule. It started serving the cathedral of Athens and the main church for whole Greece. The designer of the modern Agia Irini is Iissandros Kaftantzoglou and he made it a three-aisled dome basilica.

The interior presents the typical Greek orthodox church interior.

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Please, please, please

If someone of you knows how this church is called and what the history is connected to it, please let me know. It is very close to Συγγρού-Φιξ metro station, indeed between it and the Olympian temple of Zeus.