The Major Byzantine Churches of Athens Elizabeth Elliott 4/14/08

Byzantine Style Byzantine Empire (330ad–1453ad) Because of the location of the Byzantine empire, the art and architecture is a combination of Greek, Roman, and Oriental styles Byzantine style was influenced heavily by the Eastern Orthodox Church which encouraged very serious worship.

Art Figures appear flat and one dimensional and are almost always shown straight on and look very serious. Very little sculpture, but a lot of paintings and mosaics. During the 8th and 9th centuries, a lot of art was destroyed because of iconoclasm (the emperors said that paintings of even religious figures were forms of idolatry).

Icon with the Virgin Hodegetria Icon with Saint Theodosia Icon with the Archangel Gabriel

Architecture - 6 Major Church Design Types All Byzantine churches have domes with windows to let the light in, and paintings and mosaics decorating the interior.

(Holy Apostles Solaki) Agii Assomati (Saint Assomati) Agii Apostoli Solaki (Holy Apostles Solaki) Late 10th Century Agii Assomati (Saint Assomati) Early 11th Century

Sotira Lykodimou (The Savior of Lykodimos) 11th Century Agios Ioannis Theologos (St. John the Theologian) 11th-12th Century Sotira Lykodimou (The Savior of Lykodimos) 11th Century

Panagia Kapnikarea Dates back to 1050 Many theories as to what “Kapnikarea” means - the church was probably sponsered by a person collecting the “Kapnikon” tax (a tax on houses) Built almost entirely of marble except for the dome which is made of brick and other stones

Panagia Kapnikarea (interior)

Panagia Gorgoupekous (Virgin Mary) Also known as the “Little Cathedral” Built in the late 12th century 4th Century cornice has survived representing celebrations from the Attic calendar, but the artists tried to Christianize it by putting crosses between the scenes.

Agios Dionysios Areopagitis Saint Dionysius the Aeropagite Converted by St. Paul Became the first bishop of Athens Is the patron saint of Athens Started in 1923 and completed in 1931, but layout, composition, and interior decoration are inspired by Byzantine churches Designed by Anastassios Orlandos who was an architect and archeologist and studied classical, Byzantine, and post-Byzantine Greece. He also taught Byzantine Architecture at the University of Athens.

Agios Dionysios Areopagite (Catholic Church) Dedicated to St. Dionysios Designed in 1844 by Leo von Klenze who was one of the first people to begin trying to preserve the Acropolis Completed in 1865

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