https://www.ipernity.com/tag/323415/keyword/23777 https://cdn.ipernity.com/p/105/57/EF/323415.buddy.jpg https://www.ipernity.com/tag/323415/keyword/23777 Sun, 27 Sep 2026 23:30:47 +0000 Sun, 27 Sep 2026 23:30:47 +0000 https://www.ipernity.com https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53437310 tag:ipernity.com,2026-09-14,doc-53437310 Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:19:43 +0000 2026-02-01T12:10:57+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53437310"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/73/10/53437310.0630c92f.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="187" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The monastery of Hosios Loukas was founded in the early 10th century AD by the hermit, Venerable Luke of Steiris, whose relics are kept in the monastery to this day. A church dedicated to Saint Barbara, which forms the core of the present-day church, was likely built during his lifetime.<br /> <br /> The monastery derived its wealth from the fact that the relics of St. Luke were said to have exuded a sort of perfumed oil which produced healing miracles. Pilgrims were encouraged to sleep by the side of the tomb in order to be healed. <br /> <br /> At the heart of the monastery complex lie two interconnected churches: the Katholikon and, on slightly higher ground and adjoining to the northeast, the more modest Theotokos Church.<br /> <br /> The Katholikon, the main church dedicated to Saint Luke and dating from 1011, represents a type of church that was new at the time. This elongated rectangular structure is a cross-in-square domed church, a style otherwise characteristic of medieval Armenian architecture. <br /> Its plain exterior walls are constructed of brick and ancient stone blocks, the latter possibly transported here from Delphi.</div> Hosios Loukas <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53437310"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/73/10/53437310.0630c92f.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="187" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The monastery of Hosios Loukas was founded in the early 10th century AD by the hermit, Venerable Luke of Steiris, whose relics are kept in the monastery to this day. A church dedicated to Saint Barbara, which forms the core of the present-day church, was likely built during his lifetime.<br /> <br /> The monastery derived its wealth from the fact that the relics of St. Luke were said to have exuded a sort of perfumed oil which produced healing miracles. Pilgrims were encouraged to sleep by the side of the tomb in order to be healed. <br /> <br /> At the heart of the monastery complex lie two interconnected churches: the Katholikon and, on slightly higher ground and adjoining to the northeast, the more modest Theotokos Church.<br /> <br /> The Katholikon, the main church dedicated to Saint Luke and dating from 1011, represents a type of church that was new at the time. This elongated rectangular structure is a cross-in-square domed church, a style otherwise characteristic of medieval Armenian architecture. <br /> Its plain exterior walls are constructed of brick and ancient stone blocks, the latter possibly transported here from Delphi.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53436812 tag:ipernity.com,2026-09-13,doc-53436812 Sun, 13 Sep 2026 19:25:49 +0000 2026-02-01T11:56:20+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53436812"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/68/12/53436812.97fa752e.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="173" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The monastery of Hosios Loukas was founded in the early 10th century AD by the hermit, Venerable Luke of Steiris, whose relics are kept in the monastery to this day. A church dedicated to Saint Barbara, which forms the core of the present-day church, was likely built during his lifetime.<br /> <br /> The monastery derived its wealth from the fact that the relics of St. Luke were said to have exuded a sort of perfumed oil which produced healing miracles. Pilgrims were encouraged to sleep by the side of the tomb in order to be healed. <br /> <br /> At the heart of the monastery complex lie two interconnected churches: the Katholikon and, on slightly higher ground and adjoining to the northeast, the Theotokos Church. The Katholikon, the main church dedicated to Saint Luke and dating from 1011, represents a type of church that was new at the time. This elongated rectangular structure is a cross-in-square domed church, a style otherwise characteristic of medieval Armenian architecture. <br /> Its plain exterior walls are constructed of brick and ancient stone blocks, the latter possibly transported here from Delphi. The interior contrasts sharply with the rugged exterior; the church is spanned by a fresco-adorned dome with a diameter of nine meters. <br /> <br /> The mosaics of the main dome were lost during a collapse in the 16th or 17th century and were replaced by corresponding frescoes. The Pantocrator, the Mother of God, John the Baptist, and archangels.</div> Hosios Loukas <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53436812"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/68/12/53436812.97fa752e.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="173" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The monastery of Hosios Loukas was founded in the early 10th century AD by the hermit, Venerable Luke of Steiris, whose relics are kept in the monastery to this day. A church dedicated to Saint Barbara, which forms the core of the present-day church, was likely built during his lifetime.<br /> <br /> The monastery derived its wealth from the fact that the relics of St. Luke were said to have exuded a sort of perfumed oil which produced healing miracles. Pilgrims were encouraged to sleep by the side of the tomb in order to be healed. <br /> <br /> At the heart of the monastery complex lie two interconnected churches: the Katholikon and, on slightly higher ground and adjoining to the northeast, the Theotokos Church. The Katholikon, the main church dedicated to Saint Luke and dating from 1011, represents a type of church that was new at the time. This elongated rectangular structure is a cross-in-square domed church, a style otherwise characteristic of medieval Armenian architecture. <br /> Its plain exterior walls are constructed of brick and ancient stone blocks, the latter possibly transported here from Delphi. The interior contrasts sharply with the rugged exterior; the church is spanned by a fresco-adorned dome with a diameter of nine meters. <br /> <br /> The mosaics of the main dome were lost during a collapse in the 16th or 17th century and were replaced by corresponding frescoes. The Pantocrator, the Mother of God, John the Baptist, and archangels.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53388266 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-22,doc-53388266 Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:28:13 +0000 2026-02-01T12:06:48+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53388266"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/82/66/53388266.819d3602.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The church of Agios Ioannis in the tiny hamlet of Keria was built in the 13th Century, during the Byzantine period. <br /> It was built using an amazing collection of old marble of Roman times found in the area.</div> Keria - Agios Ioannis <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53388266"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/82/66/53388266.819d3602.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The church of Agios Ioannis in the tiny hamlet of Keria was built in the 13th Century, during the Byzantine period. <br /> It was built using an amazing collection of old marble of Roman times found in the area.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53388252 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-22,doc-53388252 Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:05:50 +0000 2026-02-01T11:56:38+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53388252"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/82/52/53388252.cff8f3c5.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The church of Agios Nikolaos is located just outside Platsa in the locality called Kabinari. It is a domed three-aisle, barrel-vaulted basilica with three equally-sized apses. Two main building phases have been recognised. The first church a three-aisle, barrel-vaulted basilica with a narthex at its west dates to the 9th – 10th century. It was built with hewn orthogonal poros blocks of impressive size. <br /> <br /> Recent evidence has shown that an earlier, ruined roman structure had been incorporated into the core of this church. The second phase has been precisely dated to 1337-1338, according to the founder’s inscription. This phase included the reconstruction of a large part of the vaulting and the addition of the dome. Smaller scale modifications took place during the early post byzantine period.</div> Platsa - Agios Nikolaos <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53388252"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/82/52/53388252.cff8f3c5.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The church of Agios Nikolaos is located just outside Platsa in the locality called Kabinari. It is a domed three-aisle, barrel-vaulted basilica with three equally-sized apses. Two main building phases have been recognised. The first church a three-aisle, barrel-vaulted basilica with a narthex at its west dates to the 9th – 10th century. It was built with hewn orthogonal poros blocks of impressive size. <br /> <br /> Recent evidence has shown that an earlier, ruined roman structure had been incorporated into the core of this church. The second phase has been precisely dated to 1337-1338, according to the founder’s inscription. This phase included the reconstruction of a large part of the vaulting and the addition of the dome. Smaller scale modifications took place during the early post byzantine period.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53382820 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-19,doc-53382820 Sun, 19 Jul 2026 16:41:31 +0000 2026-02-01T11:26:23+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53382820"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/28/20/53382820.1a71a26b.240.jpg?r2" width="207" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Metamorfosi Sotiros (Transfiguration of Christ) Church in Lagkada is a domed church with four columns in the form of a square cross and dates back to the 14th century. The murals also date from this period.</div> Lagkada - Metamorphosis Soteros <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53382820"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/28/20/53382820.1a71a26b.240.jpg?r2" width="207" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Metamorfosi Sotiros (Transfiguration of Christ) Church in Lagkada is a domed church with four columns in the form of a square cross and dates back to the 14th century. The murals also date from this period.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53381540 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-17,doc-53381540 Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:33:35 +0000 2026-02-01T11:18:36+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53381540"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/15/40/53381540.89b43f5f.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="188" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Metamorfosi Sotiros (Transfiguration of Christ) at Lagkada is a domed, four-column cross-in-square church and dates to the 14th century. Its eastern side was modified in the 16th century. A single-lobe arched bell tower rises at the end of the west wall.</div> Lagkada - Metamorphosis Soteros <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53381540"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/15/40/53381540.89b43f5f.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="188" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Metamorfosi Sotiros (Transfiguration of Christ) at Lagkada is a domed, four-column cross-in-square church and dates to the 14th century. Its eastern side was modified in the 16th century. A single-lobe arched bell tower rises at the end of the west wall.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53376518 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-12,doc-53376518 Sun, 12 Jul 2026 21:20:02 +0000 2026-02-01T14:02:26+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53376518"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/65/18/53376518.659eb354.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="110" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> Hagia Sophia was built in the 14th century by Manuel Kantakouzenos, the first despot of Mystras.<br /> <br /> Built within the palace complex, it functioned as the royal palace church. The church became the catholicon of the men's monastery, as can be seen from the seal of the Patriarch Philotheus, from the year 1365, with which it was converted into a monastery at the request of the founder himself.<br /> <br /> During Ottoman period, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.<br /> <br /> <br /> The Raising of Lazarus (?)</div> Mystras - Hagia Sophia <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53376518"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/65/18/53376518.659eb354.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="110" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> Hagia Sophia was built in the 14th century by Manuel Kantakouzenos, the first despot of Mystras.<br /> <br /> Built within the palace complex, it functioned as the royal palace church. The church became the catholicon of the men's monastery, as can be seen from the seal of the Patriarch Philotheus, from the year 1365, with which it was converted into a monastery at the request of the founder himself.<br /> <br /> During Ottoman period, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.<br /> <br /> <br /> The Raising of Lazarus (?)</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53376516 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-12,doc-53376516 Sun, 12 Jul 2026 21:12:10 +0000 2026-02-01T14:02:01+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53376516"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/65/16/53376516.9aa2a4ca.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> Hagia Sophia was built in the 14th century by Manuel Kantakouzenos, the first despot of Mystras.<br /> <br /> Built within the palace complex, it functioned as the royal palace church. The church became the catholicon of the men's monastery, as can be seen from the seal of the Patriarch Philotheus, from the year 1365, with which it was converted into a monastery at the request of the founder himself.<br /> <br /> During Ottoman period, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.</div> Mystras - Hagia Sophia <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53376516"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/65/16/53376516.9aa2a4ca.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> Hagia Sophia was built in the 14th century by Manuel Kantakouzenos, the first despot of Mystras.<br /> <br /> Built within the palace complex, it functioned as the royal palace church. The church became the catholicon of the men's monastery, as can be seen from the seal of the Patriarch Philotheus, from the year 1365, with which it was converted into a monastery at the request of the founder himself.<br /> <br /> During Ottoman period, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53376510 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-12,doc-53376510 Sun, 12 Jul 2026 21:03:09 +0000 2026-02-01T14:01:51+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53376510"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/65/10/53376510.c7708a2a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="161" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> Hagia Sophia was built in the 14th century by Manuel Kantakouzenos, the first despot of Mystras.<br /> <br /> Built within the palace complex, it functioned as the royal palace church. The church became the catholicon of the men's monastery, as can be seen from the seal of the Patriarch Philotheus, from the year 1365, with which it was converted into a monastery at the request of the founder himself.<br /> <br /> During Ottoman period, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.</div> Mystras - Hagia Sophia <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53376510"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/65/10/53376510.c7708a2a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="161" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> Hagia Sophia was built in the 14th century by Manuel Kantakouzenos, the first despot of Mystras.<br /> <br /> Built within the palace complex, it functioned as the royal palace church. The church became the catholicon of the men's monastery, as can be seen from the seal of the Patriarch Philotheus, from the year 1365, with which it was converted into a monastery at the request of the founder himself.<br /> <br /> During Ottoman period, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53375430 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-11,doc-53375430 Sat, 11 Jul 2026 20:42:50 +0000 2026-02-01T13:56:41+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53375430"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/54/30/53375430.3704a488.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="155" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> Hagia Sophia was built in the 14th century by Manuel Kantakouzenos, the first despot of Mystras.<br /> <br /> Built within the palace complex, it functioned as the royal palace church. The church became the catholicon of the men's monastery, as can be seen from the seal of the Patriarch Philotheus, from the year 1365, with which it was converted into a monastery at the request of the founder himself.<br /> <br /> During Ottoman period, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.</div> Mystras - Hagia Sophia <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53375430"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/54/30/53375430.3704a488.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="155" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> Hagia Sophia was built in the 14th century by Manuel Kantakouzenos, the first despot of Mystras.<br /> <br /> Built within the palace complex, it functioned as the royal palace church. The church became the catholicon of the men's monastery, as can be seen from the seal of the Patriarch Philotheus, from the year 1365, with which it was converted into a monastery at the request of the founder himself.<br /> <br /> During Ottoman period, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53370826 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-06,doc-53370826 Mon, 06 Jul 2026 21:16:12 +0000 2026-02-01T13:03:18+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53370826"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/08/26/53370826.bf2bf4b4.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="191" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> <br /> Hagioi Theodoroi was the main church (katholikon) of the Brontochion Monastery. The church was founded by Abbot Daniel around 1290 and completed by his successor, Pachomios, around 1295. It is dedicated to the two soldier-saints Theodore Tiro and Theodore Stratelates.<br /> <br /> The blueprint of Agioi Theodoroi is a Greek cross with an octagonal dome; consequently, its vault rests not on four columns, but on eight, creating the impression of an octagon. This architectural style, which certainly originated in Constantinople, became common in Greece from the 11th century onwards. Agioi Theodoroi is the last known church to have been constructed using this model.</div> Mystras - Agioi Theodoroi <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53370826"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/08/26/53370826.bf2bf4b4.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="191" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> <br /> Hagioi Theodoroi was the main church (katholikon) of the Brontochion Monastery. The church was founded by Abbot Daniel around 1290 and completed by his successor, Pachomios, around 1295. It is dedicated to the two soldier-saints Theodore Tiro and Theodore Stratelates.<br /> <br /> The blueprint of Agioi Theodoroi is a Greek cross with an octagonal dome; consequently, its vault rests not on four columns, but on eight, creating the impression of an octagon. This architectural style, which certainly originated in Constantinople, became common in Greece from the 11th century onwards. Agioi Theodoroi is the last known church to have been constructed using this model.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53370788 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-06,doc-53370788 Mon, 06 Jul 2026 18:54:48 +0000 2026-02-01T12:57:35+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53370788"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/07/88/53370788.b388d72c.240.jpg?r2" width="180" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> <br /> Hagioi Theodoroi was the main church (katholikon) of the Brontochion Monastery. The church was founded by Abbot Daniel around 1290 and completed by his successor, Pachomios, around 1295. It is dedicated to the two soldier-saints Theodore Tiro and Theodore Stratelates.<br /> <br /> The blueprint of Agioi Theodoroi is a Greek cross with an octagonal dome; consequently, its vault rests not on four columns, but on eight, creating the impression of an octagon. This architectural style, which certainly originated in Constantinople, became common in Greece from the 11th century onwards. Agioi Theodoroi is the last known church to have been constructed using this model.</div> Mystras - Agioi Theodoroi <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53370788"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/07/88/53370788.b388d72c.240.jpg?r2" width="180" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> <br /> Hagioi Theodoroi was the main church (katholikon) of the Brontochion Monastery. The church was founded by Abbot Daniel around 1290 and completed by his successor, Pachomios, around 1295. It is dedicated to the two soldier-saints Theodore Tiro and Theodore Stratelates.<br /> <br /> The blueprint of Agioi Theodoroi is a Greek cross with an octagonal dome; consequently, its vault rests not on four columns, but on eight, creating the impression of an octagon. This architectural style, which certainly originated in Constantinople, became common in Greece from the 11th century onwards. Agioi Theodoroi is the last known church to have been constructed using this model.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53370626 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-06,doc-53370626 Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:44:59 +0000 2026-02-01T12:59:27+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53370626"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/06/26/53370626.80f2b8d0.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="181" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> <br /> Hagioi Theodoroi was the main church (katholikon) of the Brontochion Monastery. The church was founded by Abbot Daniel around 1290 and completed by his successor, Pachomios, around 1295. It is dedicated to the two soldier-saints Theodore Tiro and Theodore Stratelates.<br /> <br /> The blueprint of Agioi Theodoroi is a Greek cross with an octagonal dome; consequently, its vault rests not on four columns, but on eight, creating the impression of an octagon. This architectural style, which certainly originated in Constantinople, became common in Greece from the 11th century onwards. Agioi Theodoroi is the last known church to have been constructed using this model.</div> Mystras - Agioi Theodoroi <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53370626"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/06/26/53370626.80f2b8d0.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="181" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> <br /> Hagioi Theodoroi was the main church (katholikon) of the Brontochion Monastery. The church was founded by Abbot Daniel around 1290 and completed by his successor, Pachomios, around 1295. It is dedicated to the two soldier-saints Theodore Tiro and Theodore Stratelates.<br /> <br /> The blueprint of Agioi Theodoroi is a Greek cross with an octagonal dome; consequently, its vault rests not on four columns, but on eight, creating the impression of an octagon. This architectural style, which certainly originated in Constantinople, became common in Greece from the 11th century onwards. Agioi Theodoroi is the last known church to have been constructed using this model.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53369050 tag:ipernity.com,2026-07-04,doc-53369050 Sat, 04 Jul 2026 20:43:05 +0000 2026-02-01T12:34:19+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53369050"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/90/50/53369050.f99544c6.240.jpg?r2" width="220" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> The Church of Hagios Demetrios, the earliest of the surviving churches of Mystras, is the metropolitan church, It is a wooden roofed basilica.<br /> <br /> The church was founded between 1263 and 1272 by the Bishop Eugenios, whose tomb was discovered in the church. The paintings were commissioned by Bishop Theodosios and date to approximately 1272.<br /> Inscriptions dedicate the structure to Nikiphoros, Metropolitan of Laconia, however, he was undoubtedly not the founder, he likely only commissioned the construction of the narthex around 1310.</div> Mystras - Hagios Demetrios <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53369050"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/90/50/53369050.f99544c6.240.jpg?r2" width="220" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Mystras is a Byzantine ruined city near the village of the same name, northwest of Sparta.<br /> <br /> The history of Mystras begins with the Fourth Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered the Peloponnese in 1206/1207, Godfrey I of Villehardouin became Prince of Achaea. His son, William II, conquered the rest of Laconia and in 1249 built a strong hilltop fortress in Mystras, which had previously been uninhabited.<br /> <br /> In 1259, William II was captured by the troops of the Byzantine Emperor and secured his release by surrendering Mystras. The Greek inhabitants of Sparta, weary of Crusader rule, settled in Mystras, located just three kilometers away. A flourishing city grew up below the castle, eventually boasting a population of tens of thousands.<br /> Mystras was conquered by the Ottomans in 1460. Minarets began to appear alongside churches and monasteries. The city came under Venetian control in 1687, but fell back to the Ottoman Turks as early as 1715.<br /> <br /> In 1770, during a Russo-Turkish war, troops from the Balkans, who had invaded the Peloponnese on Ottoman orders, devastated the city. This marked the end of Mystras's heyday. During the Greek War of Independence, the city was subsequently so severely destroyed that plans for its reconstruction were abandoned. Instead, a short time later, Sparta, which had been abandoned centuries earlier, was rebuilt.<br /> <br /> Mystras has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.<br /> <br /> The Church of Hagios Demetrios, the earliest of the surviving churches of Mystras, is the metropolitan church, It is a wooden roofed basilica.<br /> <br /> The church was founded between 1263 and 1272 by the Bishop Eugenios, whose tomb was discovered in the church. The paintings were commissioned by Bishop Theodosios and date to approximately 1272.<br /> Inscriptions dedicate the structure to Nikiphoros, Metropolitan of Laconia, however, he was undoubtedly not the founder, he likely only commissioned the construction of the narthex around 1310.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53354474 tag:ipernity.com,2026-06-19,doc-53354474 Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:24:26 +0000 2026-02-01T16:26:45+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53354474"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/44/74/53354474.04225613.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Corinth was founded in the Neolithic period, around 5000 BC.<br /> It possessed a unique strategic position on the narrow Isthmus and so the city controlled trade routes between mainland Greece and Peloponnese. Powerful colonies like Syracuse and Corcyra were established across the sea. After a paved ship trackway was built, ships could cross the land, avoiding dangerous capes. In the 5th century BC, it fought against Persian invasion forces. During the Peloponnesian War Corinth joined Sparta to defeat Athens and so protect its economic dominance. Later, the city fought Sparta during the Corinthian War. In 146 BC, Roman commander Lucius Mummius attacked the defiant city. The Roman army completely destroyed Corinth and enslaved its citizens. For a century, the historic site remained a desolated ghost town. Julius Caesar refounded it as a Roman colony in 44 BC. Barbarian tribes looted Corinth later on. Under Byzantine rule, it served as a strong military center. The Ottoman Empire captured the city's fortress in 1458. A catastrophic earthquake completely ruined Old Corinth in the year 1858. Modern Corinth was successfully rebuilt six kilometers away from the ruins.<br /> <br /> St Paul’s Cathedral is the Orthodox cathedral of Corinth and the seat of the Metropolis of Corinth. <br /> <br /> The Cathedral was built on the site of an older church, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1928. Consecrated in 1936, the church has a cruciform plan and a dome featuring modern architectural elements. <br /> <br /> Apostle Paulus visited Corinth three times during his travels, and his letters to the Corinthians are among the important texts of Christian doctrine. The Apostle Paul himself founded the first metropolis here.</div> Corinth - St Paul’s Cathedral <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53354474"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/44/74/53354474.04225613.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Corinth was founded in the Neolithic period, around 5000 BC.<br /> It possessed a unique strategic position on the narrow Isthmus and so the city controlled trade routes between mainland Greece and Peloponnese. Powerful colonies like Syracuse and Corcyra were established across the sea. After a paved ship trackway was built, ships could cross the land, avoiding dangerous capes. In the 5th century BC, it fought against Persian invasion forces. During the Peloponnesian War Corinth joined Sparta to defeat Athens and so protect its economic dominance. Later, the city fought Sparta during the Corinthian War. In 146 BC, Roman commander Lucius Mummius attacked the defiant city. The Roman army completely destroyed Corinth and enslaved its citizens. For a century, the historic site remained a desolated ghost town. Julius Caesar refounded it as a Roman colony in 44 BC. Barbarian tribes looted Corinth later on. Under Byzantine rule, it served as a strong military center. The Ottoman Empire captured the city's fortress in 1458. A catastrophic earthquake completely ruined Old Corinth in the year 1858. Modern Corinth was successfully rebuilt six kilometers away from the ruins.<br /> <br /> St Paul’s Cathedral is the Orthodox cathedral of Corinth and the seat of the Metropolis of Corinth. <br /> <br /> The Cathedral was built on the site of an older church, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1928. Consecrated in 1936, the church has a cruciform plan and a dome featuring modern architectural elements. <br /> <br /> Apostle Paulus visited Corinth three times during his travels, and his letters to the Corinthians are among the important texts of Christian doctrine. The Apostle Paul himself founded the first metropolis here.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53321358 tag:ipernity.com,2026-05-11,doc-53321358 Mon, 11 May 2026 19:23:50 +0000 2025-12-01T16:28:19+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53321358"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/13/58/53321358.00f46c8d.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="190" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Agios Trypiotos full english name is "Archangel Michael Trypiotis Church". "Trypiotis" means "maker of the hole" referring to a legend where Archangel Michael struck the ground to create a chasm, saving a monastery from a flood.<br /> <br /> The church was built in 1695 during the Ottoman period, commissioned by Archbishop Germanos II. It was constructed on the site of an earlier church and monastery. The building is an example of Franco-Byzantine style, characterized by its three-aisled basilica plan and a central dome that appears nearly square. <br /> <br /> The Shakolas Tower is in the backdrop.</div> Nicosia - Agios Trypiotis <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53321358"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/13/58/53321358.00f46c8d.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="190" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Agios Trypiotos full english name is "Archangel Michael Trypiotis Church". "Trypiotis" means "maker of the hole" referring to a legend where Archangel Michael struck the ground to create a chasm, saving a monastery from a flood.<br /> <br /> The church was built in 1695 during the Ottoman period, commissioned by Archbishop Germanos II. It was constructed on the site of an earlier church and monastery. The building is an example of Franco-Byzantine style, characterized by its three-aisled basilica plan and a central dome that appears nearly square. <br /> <br /> The Shakolas Tower is in the backdrop.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53321346 tag:ipernity.com,2026-05-11,doc-53321346 Mon, 11 May 2026 19:01:38 +0000 2025-12-01T15:33:13+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53321346"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/13/46/53321346.e063f5eb.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Agios Trypiotis seen from the Shakolas Tower.<br /> <br /> Agios Trypiotos full english name is "Archangel Michael Trypiotis Church". "Trypiotis" means "maker of the hole" referring to a legend where Archangel Michael struck the ground to create a chasm, saving a monastery from a flood.<br /> <br /> The church was built in 1695 during the Ottoman period, commissioned by Archbishop Germanos II. It was constructed on the site of an earlier church and monastery. The building is an example of Franco-Byzantine style, characterized by its three-aisled basilica plan and a central dome that appears nearly square.</div> Nicosia - Agios Trypiotis <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53321346"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/13/46/53321346.e063f5eb.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Agios Trypiotis seen from the Shakolas Tower.<br /> <br /> Agios Trypiotos full english name is "Archangel Michael Trypiotis Church". "Trypiotis" means "maker of the hole" referring to a legend where Archangel Michael struck the ground to create a chasm, saving a monastery from a flood.<br /> <br /> The church was built in 1695 during the Ottoman period, commissioned by Archbishop Germanos II. It was constructed on the site of an earlier church and monastery. The building is an example of Franco-Byzantine style, characterized by its three-aisled basilica plan and a central dome that appears nearly square.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53301732 tag:ipernity.com,2026-04-18,doc-53301732 Sat, 18 Apr 2026 20:30:28 +0000 2025-12-01T11:14:06+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53301732"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/17/32/53301732.99aaffc6.240.jpg?r2" width="232" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Agia Mavri chapel dates to the 12th century. The chapel is dedicated to Saint Timotheus as well as Saint Mavri, whose sacred bones are held in the chapel.<br /> <br /> Church authorities claim, that Saint Timotheus was married to Saint Mavri. Fighting against idiolatry they were arrested and martyred.<br /> <br /> Local tradition tells a different story, saying that Saint Mavri was born in a nearby village. When her parents arranged for her to marry, she refused saying she wanted to devote herself to God. The day before the wedding she jumped into the hot oven, where the wedding food was prepared, and while God saved her life, she was left with a blackened face. Then she left the villae and lived the remaining life in seclusion of the hills.<br /> <br /> All the walls inside the chapel are covered with Byzantine murals dating from the 12th to the 15th centuries.</div> Koilani - Agia Mavri <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53301732"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/17/32/53301732.99aaffc6.240.jpg?r2" width="232" height="240" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Agia Mavri chapel dates to the 12th century. The chapel is dedicated to Saint Timotheus as well as Saint Mavri, whose sacred bones are held in the chapel.<br /> <br /> Church authorities claim, that Saint Timotheus was married to Saint Mavri. Fighting against idiolatry they were arrested and martyred.<br /> <br /> Local tradition tells a different story, saying that Saint Mavri was born in a nearby village. When her parents arranged for her to marry, she refused saying she wanted to devote herself to God. The day before the wedding she jumped into the hot oven, where the wedding food was prepared, and while God saved her life, she was left with a blackened face. Then she left the villae and lived the remaining life in seclusion of the hills.<br /> <br /> All the walls inside the chapel are covered with Byzantine murals dating from the 12th to the 15th centuries.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53298494 tag:ipernity.com,2026-04-14,doc-53298494 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:49:01 +0000 2025-12-22T13:17:07+02:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53298494"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/84/94/53298494.f437c58b.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="236" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Church of Agios Georgios, also known as St. George of Peyia, has a rich history.<br /> <br /> The Church is located at Cape Drepanum in the Paphos district. It is part of a religious and archaeological complex. Agios Georgios was likely built in the 19th century.</div> Pegeia - Agios Georgios <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53298494"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/84/94/53298494.f437c58b.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="236" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">The Church of Agios Georgios, also known as St. George of Peyia, has a rich history.<br /> <br /> The Church is located at Cape Drepanum in the Paphos district. It is part of a religious and archaeological complex. Agios Georgios was likely built in the 19th century.</div> Martin M. Miles https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53276048 tag:ipernity.com,2026-03-18,doc-53276048 Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:03:29 +0000 2025-12-01T12:50:31+01:00 nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53276048"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/60/48/53276048.c908926a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Panagia tou Kampou is situated in the fields (tou Kampou) to the west of the village of Chirokitia. The church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, dates from the late 6th or early 7th century. Excavations have revealed that it underwent several phases of construction.<br /> During the period of Arab raids (late 7th century), the church was reduced to a smaller structure above the central nave of the first construction phase, whilst the central apse of the early Byzantine church was reused with minor alterations.<br /> This small hall church, probably with a dome, collapsed during a severe earthquake in the 8th century and lay in ruins for some time. At the end of the 10th century, the church was rebuilt as a cruciform domed hall, with some of the stone material from the previous construction phase being reused. This is in fact the main construction phase of the church that survives today. During the later Frankish or Venetian period, the church was extended towards the west.</div> Chirokitia - Panagia tou Kampou <p class="who"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/home/323415">Martin M. Miles</a> has posted:</p><p class="preview"><a href="https://www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/53276048"><img src="https://cdn.ipernity.com/200/60/48/53276048.c908926a.240.jpg?r2" width="240" height="180" alt=""/></a></p><div class="description">Panagia tou Kampou is situated in the fields (tou Kampou) to the west of the village of Chirokitia. The church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, dates from the late 6th or early 7th century. Excavations have revealed that it underwent several phases of construction.<br /> During the period of Arab raids (late 7th century), the church was reduced to a smaller structure above the central nave of the first construction phase, whilst the central apse of the early Byzantine church was reused with minor alterations.<br /> This small hall church, probably with a dome, collapsed during a severe earthquake in the 8th century and lay in ruins for some time. At the end of the 10th century, the church was rebuilt as a cruciform domed hall, with some of the stone material from the previous construction phase being reused. This is in fact the main construction phase of the church that survives today. During the later Frankish or Venetian period, the church was extended towards the west.</div> Martin M. Miles