The 7 most historical churches in Monemvasia
1. Elkomenos Hristos
Elkomenos (pulled) Hristos is when the Christ is led to the place of martyrdom, because he goes there by force without his will. The church is located in the square with the cannon. It was originally built, probably, in early Christian days (6th - 7th century). The icon of Elkomenos Hristos, with which this church was associated, was removed during the reign of Emperor Isaac II Angelos (1185 - 1195) to go to the church of Archangel Michael in Sthenia, Constantinople. The icon of the Crucifixion from the second half of the 14th century was stolen by antiquarians and after it was found it was exhibited in the Byzantine Museum of Athens until it was returned to the church in 2011. This icon is considered one of the most important of the Paleologian Renaissance and is a priceless church heirloom. Today its interior is decorated with post-Byzantine icons, while the marble iconostasis is the work of the Tinian sculptor Georgios Kaparias in 1901.
2. Panagia Chrysafitissa
It was built in the 17th century on the site of an older church of Panagia Odigetria. According to tradition the icon was located in the village Chrysafa in Laconia and arrived in Monemvasia by itself in some miraculous way. It was found at this point by an old woman who notified the bishop. People gathered and they marched the image to the metropolitan church where they placed it. But the icon disappeared the same night to miraculously return to the place where it was found. So in order to satisfy the will of Virgin Mary, the inhabitants built this church there and placed her icon.
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3. Agia Sophia
It is located in the Upper Town literally on the edge of the cliff. It was built in the 12th century and was then dedicated to Panagia Odigetria. After the Revolution of 1821 it was dedicated to the Wisdom of God because it was considered a faithful copy of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Inside it are preserved interesting representations (end of the 12th - beginning of the 13th century) such as Christ as the "Ancient of Days", scenes from the life of Saint Nicholas as well as Christ with two worshiping angels and full-length archangels. During the first Ottoman rule, it was converted into a mosque, the Fethiye or of Sultan Suleiman, while in the second Venetian rule it was used as a Catholic church dedicated to Madonna del Carmine. In the second Turkish rule, it was used again as a mosque to definitively return to Orthodox Christian worship after 1821.
4. Panagia Myrtidiotissa or Kritikia
It was built during the second Venetian rule. The worship of Panagia Myrtidiotissa originates from Kythira which maintained commercial and cultural relations with Monemvasia. According to tradition, the church was founded in the 17th century by the Monemvasian Bishop of Kythira, Philotheos Darmarios. It is also known as Panagia Kritikia, which is related to the settlement of refugees from Crete in the city. It has western architectural influences. The wood-carved gilded iconostasis in its interior with the Renaissance features of the 16th century originally belonged to the church Elkomenos Christ.
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5. Agios Nikolaos
It was built in 1703 on the ruins of two Byzantine churches. The built-in inscription says that it was built from the ground up by the Monemvasian medical philosopher Andreas Likinios. According to tradition, it never functioned as a church. In the second Ottoman rule (1715 - 1821) it served as an arsenal, in the period of Kapodistrias (1829) it functioned as a co-educational school, while from 1839 to the middle of the 20th century it functioned as a primary school where the poet Yiannis Ritsos studied. It has western architectural influences.
6. Agios Antonios & Agios Dimitrios
A double-aisled domed church. It was built during the second Venetian rule and was repaired in recent times.
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7. Anonymous church in the Upper Town
It was built in late Byzantine times. It underwent additions during the second Venetian rule. During the second Turkish rule, it had fallen into ruins and had lost its religious use. Today it has been partially restored.
