The Holy Church of the Holy Trinity, often called the Russian Church or Soteira Lykodemos, stands out for its large, high dome and the high-quality masonry of its exterior walls. Built in the early eleventh century, it remains the largest…
Byzantine and Ottoman Athens
This walk leads you through the winding alleys of Plaka and Monastiraki to seek out the overlooked Byzantine churches, hidden bathhouses, and Ottoman-era monuments tucked away beneath modern Athens.
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1. Holy Church of the Holy Trinity - Soteira Lykodemos (11th c.)
2. Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Gorgoepikoos and Saint Eleutherius
The Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Gorgoepikoos, also known as the Little Metropolis, is distinguished by exterior walls constructed entirely of reused marble blocks and relief carvings from ancient Greek, Roman, and early Byzantine…
3. Kapnikarea
The Church of Panagia Kapnikarea sits directly in the center of Ermou Street, a busy pedestrian shopping thoroughfare. You can distinguish this eleventh-century Byzantine building by its complex, multi-part structure and the dome rising…
4. Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Pantanassa - Monastiraki
The Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Pantanassa sits in Monastiraki Square, distinguishable by its low-profile, barrel-vaulted stone structure that rests below the modern street level. While historians debate whether the original building…
5. Museum of Modern Greek Culture (Tzistarakis Mosque)
The Tzistarakis Mosque is a two-story structure defined by its large hemispherical dome resting on an octagonal base. Built in seventeen fifty-nine by the Ottoman governor of Athens, Mustapha Agha Tzistarakis, the building sits directly in…
6. Old Madrasa Gate
The Old Madrasa Gate is a cut-stone archway adorned with carved rosettes, twisted moldings, and motifs of cypress trees. It stands near the Roman Agora as the final remnant of an Ottoman-era Islamic school, or madrasa, originally…
7. Fethiye Mosque Museum
The Fethiye Mosque is identifiable by its large central dome flanked by smaller domes at the corners and a porch supported by five arches, all set within the Roman Agora. Built between sixteen sixty-eight and sixteen seventy, it occupies…
8. Bathhouse of the Winds (Museum of Modern Greek Culture)
The Bathhouse of the Winds is the only public Ottoman-era bathhouse left standing in Athens. You can identify it by its pink exterior and the dark green doorway set into the narrow street at number eight Kyrristou. Built between the…