The monastery, which honours the name of the Dormition of the Virgin, lies on the eastern fringes of Patras. Tradition assigns the foundation of the monastery to the 4th century AD, while it is also mentionned by Thomopoulos, in his book on the history of Patras. More recent documents assign the foundation of the monastery to the 9th century. The monastery probably received its common name from the very first years of its operation as a geriatric home (yirokomeio). In the Byzantine period, the supervision of these foundations was usually the responsibility of the Church.
The monastery was torched (1770) and demolished (1822) by the Ottoman armed forces. It was rebuilt in 1833-1836. In its present form, the church is a basilica with a narthex, a tiled pitched roof, and a wood-carved ceiling. In addition to a Palaiologan icon of the Hodegetria, also known as the Virgin Alithini (the "Real"), a fine-quality art icon which dates from 17th century, there is also one of the Dormition of the Virgin that dates from 17th century.
OBLU MONASTERY
Heading south from the town of Patras, beyond Petroto and before Saravali, we turn left, follow the metalled road and then a passable dirt road for 2 km. The monastery is built at an altitude of 750 m. in a small ravine, surrounded by plane trees, chestnuts and oaks. The katholikon is a cross-in-square church with a dome, while it preserves an internal wall-painted decoration and a wood-carved templon, that date from 19th century.
The monastery was founded in 1315, rebuilt in 1689, while it was pillaged and destroyed by Turks and Albanians in 1770 and in June 1821. On the iconostasis there are interesting icons of the Presentation of the Virgin, dated 1839, an icon of the Virgin, dated 1817, and an icon of the three hierarchs, a work of the 18th century. In addition to sigils, manuscripts and other documents, the monastery houses a rare bone casket from the 12th century AD, made in Italy.
PLATANI: CHURCH OF AYIOS NIKOLAOS
The small church of Ayios Nikolaos is situated in the village of Platani, of the Municipality of Rio, and constitutes a fine example of Byzantine architecture. In the inventory of 1700, Ayios Nikolaos is listed as a katholikon - old monastery. It is a triconch church with a narthex. The dome, which, in its original form, would have been high and eight-sided, collapsed during the Ottoman period and later took its low and cylindrical present form. The church is built following the Byzantine cloisonne mansonry system, with squared blocks of poros enclosed by bricks. The only trace of internal decoration is preserved on the south wall of the west part of the nave, with part of wall-painting of a figure of a female saint, possibly St. Paraskeve. The church is dated to the late 11th century.
CHURCH OF AYIOS NIKOLAOS IN THE MONASTERY OF THE TAXIARCHS AT AIGIALEIA
The church of Ayios Nikolaos lies at a distance of about 7km from the New Monastery of the Taxiarchs, on the right bank of the river Selinounta, at an altitude of 432 m. The first building phase of Ayios Nikolaos goes back to the Middle Byzantine period, probably to the 10th century.
PALAIOMONASTIRO OF THE TAXIARCHS
The Old Monastery of the Taxiarchs of Aigialeia was built by Hosios Leontios at the end of the 14th century, however the original nucleus was formed in the 11th century, by anchorites who lived in hermitages in the nearby caves. Three layers of wall-paintings, dating from the Byzantine and Post-Byzantine periods, are still preserved in the katholikon of the Old Monastery of the Taxiarchs at Aigialeia, which has suffered fire damage many times in the past. Among these, the first layer comprises a number of outstanding wall-paintings, dated to about 1400.
NEW MONASTERY OF THE TAXIARCHS AT AIGIALEIA
Both the Old and the New Monastery of the Taxiarchs, as well as the Church of Ayios Nikolaos lie to the south of Aigio, in the foothills of Mount Klokos. They can be reached from Aigio by way of the route: Kouloura, Kato Mavriki, Melissia, the New Monastery of the Taxiarchs.
The monastery was built at the beginning of the 17th century with an adherence to tradition. It enjoyed considerable fame throughout the 17th and 18th century and, thanks to its large library, its spiritual prestige was equally great. In the room with the heirlooms of the monastery, visitors can see documents, books and manuscript codexes (the oldest one dating from 1775), as well as a number of ecclesiastical embroideries of outstanding art. Among the latter, you'll find the epitaphios of Despoineta (1685) and the epitaphios by the embroiderer Arsenios (1590). Still today, the monks make the excellent rose-jam, made from their own rose-beds.
The mountain of monasteries
Above Trapeza in Aigialeia, lies the mountain of monasteries or Ayia Triada mountain, that owes its name to the large number of monastic installations found here. Starting at Trapeza, we follow a good unmade road up to the monasteries. After the end of the iconoclastic controversy, the Ayia Triada mountain attracted a large number of anchorites, hermits and monks. The most important hermitages in the area are those of Ayios Antonios, Ayiannis Kremastos and Ayioi Pantes.
The hermitage of Ayios Antonios is a small cave church, adorned with wall-paintings of fine-quality art that date from the first half of 16th century. These detached wall-paintings have been mounted on frames and are now kept in the Ecclesiastical Museum of the Diocese of Aigialeia.
MONASTERY OF AYIA TRIADA
The monastery is built on the site of an ancient sanctuary at an altitude of 750m. Inside the monastery enclosure, in its present form, lies 'Gaion' - the name also used by Pausanias - an ancient, possibly prehistoric, circular structure. The katholikon of the monastery imitates the shape of an ancient tholos. The church was painted in 1757 and is characterised by a simplified folk art and an adherence to the Byzantine tradition.
AYIA MONI
The interior of the church is lavishly decorated with Post-Byzantine wall-paintings executed in 1723 which, unfortunately, are in a poor state of preservation.
MONASTERY OF AYIOS NIKOLAOS VOURAS
Built on a steep rock, the monastery preserves its fortress enclosure and the dilapidated three storeys of cells. The church, built on the highest point of the rock, is an aisleless cruciform church with a dome. The wood-carved iconostasis of the katholikon, with all its iconographic decoration, is now on display in the Ecclesiastical Museum of Aigio. The katholikon and narthex of the monastery of Ayios Nikolaos Vouras are lavishly adorned with wall-paintings of fine-quality art that date from the first half of 18th century. The wall-painted decoration of the sanctuary is in a better state of preservation.
AKRATA: MONASTERY OF AYIA TRIADA - OLD MONASTERY
On the provincial road from the coast of Akrata towards Zarouchla, there is a detour to the left, three kilometres from the hamlet of Ano Akrata that leads, after 200 m, to the monasteries. The Old Monastery was founded in 1708; its small church is lavishly decorated with wall-paintings executed in a folk style in 1751 and icons of good-quality art that date from 18th century.
NEW MONASTERY
The new monastery was built 140 m. from the old monastery. In 1751, the monk Antonios executed the wall-paintings of the New Monastery, just as he had already done with the old one. His art represents the folk tradition of painting in 18th century.
MONASTERY OF THE PANAYIA KATATHESION OR KATAPHYGION
Following the provincial road from the coast of Akrata, we take a detour after Agridi, at an altitude of 1100 m, and reach the monastery, situated in an idyllic scenery, with plane trees, rivers and a wonderful view. The nunnery is dedicated to the name of the deposition (katathesis) of the Holy Sash of the Virgin. Its second name probably derives from the numerous retreats (kataphygia) - that is, cave-hermitages - to be found in the inaccessible rocks, used by the inhabitants of Chalkianika during the Greek War of Independence in 1821.
The katholikon is built like an eagle's eyrie in a hollow in the sheer rock and is lavishly decorated with wall-paintings of good-quality art dated from 1638. It was in this monastery, that Theodoros Kolokotronis met and courted the beautiful nun Margaro, whom he spent the rest of his life with.
PERITHORI: MONASTERY OF AYIOI APOSTOLOI
The monastery is situated in the mountainous region of Akrata, 18,5 km from the homonymous town. It was founded in the late 16th century, while its katholikon was decorated with wall-paintings in 1621 by Georgios Moschos, a painter from Nauplion, who remained faithful to the models of Cretan painting.
ZAROUCHLA: MONASTERY OF AYIA TRIADA
Right after Zarouchla, while passing through a forest of pines and chestnut trees, we find the monastery of Ayia Triada, founded the 1st half of 18th century. The monastery still preserves the characteristic architecture of that period. The church belongs to the contracted domed cruciform type, with a later narthex and is built of rubble masonry, with bricks sparingly interspersed, except in the apse, the dome and the frames of the doors and windows, in which dressed blocks of poros are used. The lavishly decorated, folk wall-paintings date from the same period.
MEGA SPILAIO MONASTERY
The Mega Spilaio (Great Cave) Monastery lies at an altitude of 940 m, in a rocky landscape rather like Meteora, at the sound end of the Vouraikos gorge. The monastery is situated on the provincial road that starts from Trapeza and links the National Road Athens-Patras to Kalavryta. According to early records, the foundation of the monastery dates back to the years after the end of the iconoclastic controversy, that is the 9th century. Tradition claims that Hosios Symeon and Hosios Theodoros founded the monastery in those years. This tradition seems to prevail over another version, which places the monastery's foundation at the time of Constantine the Great, in 4th century AD.
Likewise, the famous wax-and-paint icon of Panagia Hodegetria is placed among those the Byzantine Church claims to have been painted by the holy apostle and evangelist Luke, although researchers date the icon back to 13th century. During its long history, in addition to its special importance as a major Orthodox shrine of pilgrimage, the monastery also played a significant role in the Greek War of Independence (1821) and was burned to the ground several times, the last time being in 1943, when the Nazi troops executed 22 monks and pilgrims.
The katholikon is a cross-in-square church with two narthexes and was repaired after a fire in 1640. Wall-paintings dating from 1653 are preserved in the nave. Also, there are wall-paintings dating from the early 18th century, the bronze sheathing of the entrance door, a work of 1805, and the superb floor of the nave, which is covered by Byzantine opus sectile. The wood-carved iconostasis is an early modern structure and the famous icon of the Virgin is placed on a specially made proskynetarion on the right.
The Monastery Museum contains a display of important heirlooms, works of art and Byzantine manuscripts, with miniatures executed in art of outstanding quality. Among them, lies a notable wood-carved iconostasis dating from 17th century, relief professional or blessing crosses dated by the old calendar to 1600, Post-Byzantine icons, sacred vestments, a gold-embroidered epitaphios of 1787 etc.
MONASTERY OF AYIA LAVRA - PALAIOMONASTIRO
The Monastery of Ayia Lavra lies 6 km. to the west of Kalavryta and about 300 m. to the south-west of the present monastery. According to a tradition, the monastery was established in 961 by fellow anchorites of Hosios Athanasios the Athonite, who founded the Great Lavra on Mount Athos. At the height of its prosperity, the monastery had 960 monks. Of the first monastery, the katholikon and the ruins of the narthex and the adjacent cells are still preserved today. The churh is lavishly decorated with paintings dating from 1645, while the area of the sanctuary apse has wall-paintings surviving from the Palaiologan period (14th century), the high quality of which attests to the 14th century prosperity of the Ayia Lavra monastery.
MONASTERY OF AYIA LAVRA - NEW MONASTERY
Its erection on the site of the old katholikon, now outside the enclosure, dates from 1689-1692. The church is an aisleless, triconch structure with a dome and the interior of the church is lavishly decorated with wall-paintings of fine-quality art dating from the early 18th century. The monastery suffered serious damage during the Orloff uprising and was torched by Ibrahim in 1826. Its rebuilding began in 1828, but a severe earthquake in 1844 reduced the katholikon to ruins. Its reconstruction was completed in 1851. On the day after the slaughter at Kalavryta on 14-12-1943, the buildings were burned to the ground and the monks found inside were executed. It was reconstructed in 1947-50.
Nonetheless, the interior of the church is lavishly decorated with wall-paintings of fine-quality art dating from the early 18th century. The standard, which is kept in the monastery sacristy, dates from the Greek War of Independence of 1821. Despite the scientific controversy on the matter, the standard, a gold-embroidered cloth curtain from the Royal Doors of the old katholikon, remains a fine-quality work of art. It depicts the Dormition of the Virgin, a multifigural scene, it comes from Smyrna and was donated to the Ayia Lavra monastery by a ruler from Moldavia in the late 17th century. The monastery sacristy also houses valuable Byzantine manuscripts, minor works of art, gold-embroidery and silverware, Post-Byzantine icons, and also weapons and letters written in the hand of the chieftains of 1821.
VELIMACHI: MONASTERY OF AYIOI PANTES
Following the detour towards Erymanthia-Velimachi, on the National Road of Patras-Tripoli, we can reach the Monastery of Ayioi Pantes. It was founded in 1715 by the monk Nektarios and the monks of the monastery of Taxiarchis Michail at Alepochori, who seeked a more viable location. This monastery did not seem to have suffered the devastation and destruction that befell other monasteries, that is why it is preserved in excellent condition.
The church is a timber-roofed basilica, with a flat, coffered ceiling and the figure of the Pantokrator at the centre. The fine-quality, wood-carved iconostasis bears the date 1734, as well as the wood-carved chandelier. The wall-painted decoration dates from the first half of the 18th century. There are two more churches in the monastery. Of these, the chapel of Ayios Ioannis is lavishly decorated with wall-paintings dating from 1766.
MONASTERY OF THE PANAYIA CHRYSOPODARITISSA
The monastery lies 40 km. from Patras, on the provincial road from Patras to Kalavryta, within the municipality of Pharrai, in the region of Nezera. Its foundation goes back to the Late Byzantine period, with references to it dating from the early to late 14th century, while its wall-paintings date from the 15th century. Ibrahim burned the monastery down in 1826 and was renovated in 1879. All the heirlooms it owned were destroyed by fire or stolen.
The original nucleus of the monastery and the first katholikon developed in a large cave with stalactites and a number of levels on which there were small sketes. Recently, fragments of wall-paintings of the 15th and 18th century have been discovered there. The modern katholikon is part of the repair of the monastery after it was burned down by Ibrahim.
UPPER MONASTERY AT DIVRI (CHRYSOPIGI)
The seat of the Municipality of the Ilia region with the same name, Divri lies on the national road of Patra-Tripoli. The monastery is built at an altitude of 950 m., in a formerly inaccessible ravine, well hidden within a dense pine forest. Springs and running water supplied the monastery complex and its gardens. On the tympanum of the internal arch is a seven-line founder's inscription relating to the painting of the church, which goes back to the year 1667, a date on which the erection of the katholikon may also be assigned.
LOWER MONASTERY AT DIVRI
The monastery is dedicated to the Virgin and is now deserted. The founder's inscription associated with the painting of the church suggests that the monastery was founded in 1746. The painter Antonios of Nezera, Kalavryta, known from other work in Achaia, was also active in this monastery. The katholikon is lavishly decorated with wall-paintings. Even the supports are painted. The church has a notable wood-carved iconostasis with an inscription dating it to the 18th century.
MONASTERY OF THE KOIMESIS THEOTOKOU
Located at an altitude of 1.100 m., in a gorge of the Erymanthos river, in the area of Tripotama, the meeting point of three prefectures (Achaia, Ilia and Arkadia) and three rivers (Erymanthos, Arranios and Seiraios), lies the monastery of the Poretsos or Koimesis Theotokou. More specifically, to reach the monastery, you drive 11 km, on the road of Tripotama-Kalavryta, and then take a side road on the left, in Psofida.
The katholikon was lavishly adorned and funded by the local notable Klokonis, as we learn from the founder's inscription. Although the name of the painter has not been recorded, there is no doubt that they were the brothers Dimitrios and Georgios Moschos, who are considered as the most significant church-painters of the 17th century. Although self-taught, the Moschos brothers assimilated elements from 16th century Cretan painting. The wall-paintings of the Koimesis at Poretsos are the last they worked on together and contain all the distinctive features of their painting (a preference for narrative details, harmonious proportions in the figures, a decorative intent, and a rich colour scale). The icon of the Virgin Hodegetria in the proskynetarion in the narthex, bears the inscription "the hope of all" and dates from the 16th century.
LEIVARTZI: MONASTERY OF AYIA TRIADA
Returning from Poretsos to Tripotama (Prophis), we follow the road towards Kalavryta and after travelling a distance of five kilometres, we take a side road leading north, which bring us to Leivartzi. Located on a wonderful setting shaded by plane and chestnut trees, the monastery is known to have existed before the Turkish conquest of 1460. In 1700, Leivartzi was already a head-village, with significant handicraft development.
Notable Post-Byzantine churches are preserved in the village, while 500 m. before the village, there's the site of the dissolved monastery of Ayia Triada. The inscription on the north side gives 1650 as the year of the erection of the monastery. Architecturally, the katholikon belongs to the type of the tetrastyle cross-in-square church with a dome. It is lavishly decorated with wall-paintings dating from 1750, the work of the painter Antonios of Nezera, according to the founder's inscription preserved in the east wall of the narthex. Although we can see his work in a number of monasteries and churches of that period, Antonios is not considered as a significant painter and his art is simple and unpretentious.
AROANIA: MONASTERY OF AYIOI THEODOROI
In Aroania (Sopoto), in an old head-village built on a verdant hillside, with abundant springs of water, many stone houses and archontika ('mansions'), dating from the 17th and 18th century - still well preserved - lies the church of Evangelismos, adorned with wall-paintings executed in 1703 and the church of Ayios Georgios, with wall-paintings dating from the second half of the 17th century.
Near the village, at a distance of 4 km, at an altitude of 1000 m, we find the Monastery of Ayioi Theodoroi. From the inscription, we conclude that the monastery was probably erected before 1724, since it confirms the date of the renovation and establishes that the katholikon was build and painted in 1746. The katholikon is lavishly adorned with wall-paintings in a conservative style, by the hand of a painter-priest and his companions from Ioannina.
In the church, there is an icon of St. Theodore bearing the inscription 1769, with relief scenes of the lives of the saints executed in a folk style, with the date 1833. Also, a two-leaf bronze sheathing, silver reliquaries, censers and three manuscripts are kept in another showcase inside the church. Finally, inside the monastery, there is a chapel, which was built and painted in 1732 by Eustathios of Nezera.
AYIOS DIMITRIOS AT BADA
From the National Road of Patras-Pyrgos, on the 2nd exit towards K. Achaia, we follow the opposite side road on the left and after 8 km distance, we reach Dragano (Petrochori). On the level area on which the church is built, there are no surviving traces of the other buildings of the former monastery. Ayios Dimitrios at Bada is an aisleless free-cross church with a dome. Its architecture, its manufacturing techniques, the abundance of decorative brickwork, that imitate cufic motifs, is a decoration characteristic of 11th and 12th century monuments. These elements are pointing to a date for the building in the late 12th or early 13th century. The wall-painting decoration throughout the interior is damaged mainly by leakage from the roof. The wall-paintings, probably of 1750, exhibit several western influences characteristic of 18th century art.
MARITSA MONASTERY (AYIA MARINA) IN TZAILO.
From the National Road of Patras-Pyrgos, we follow the side road leading to Patras Industrial Zone and from there on, we continue towards Loussika, Ano Soudeneika, Tzailo. The five-domed katholikon stands at the centre of the well-kept enclosure and the modern cells. The present form of the katholikon is characteristic of 17th and 18th century churches. The monastery includes a wall-painting with the date 1713, the despotic icon of the Virgin Hodegetria, executed in excellent-quality art probably of the 16th century, another fine icon depiction of the Dormition with the date 176. The wood-carved iconostasis is of fine-quality art, it was gilded in 1819 and probably dates from the late 17th century. Fragments of a mosaic with dolphins, that belong to a building dating from Late Antiquity, have been placed on the floor in the nave, beneath the dome.
Of great interest is the effort to verify the initial foundation date of the monastery: on an inscription of the 18th century, relating to a repair of the monastery's enclosure wall, we read the date 1256. It is possible to have copied the date 1256 from an earlier founder's inscription, which could also be proven by the dedicatory note written by Anna, Princess of Achaia, in a parchment manuscript of the 10th century, in which she donates the valuable tome in 1276 to the monastery she herself founded in honour of St. Marina. In 1278, Anna was married to Nicholas II Saint Omer, who owned the territories to the east and south of Mount Movri in the 13th century.
Along the road towards the monastery, we can see scattered building remains, attesting to the existence of a monastery and a small Byzantine church of the 12th or the first half of the 13th century. The church has wall-painted decoration preserved in fragments, pointing to a date in the late 12th or early 13th century, and confirming that they are the earliest preserved wall-paintings in the prefecture of Achaia. The wall-paintings found in the chapel of Saint George, a cave in the same area, probably date from the same period.
This page includes extracts and pictures from the excellent publication "Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monasteries of Achaia", with the help of academic editor Myrto Georgopoulou-Verra and Kotinos Editions and under the Aegis of the European Capital of Culture "Patras 2006".
