The most complete
information guide about Athens, Greece
Churches
in Athens
Agios Dionysios Areopagitis (Saint
Dionysios)
The Church of Saint Dionysios Aeropagite (Agios Dionysios Areopagitis),
dedicated to the first bishop and patron saint of Athens, is situated
on Skoufa street between Lykavitou and Dimokritou streets. Its
masonry and decoration are eclectic (combining elements from various
periods and styles of church-building), indicating the seeking
of a modern Greek cultural identity after the “Asia Minor
Disaster” of 1922.
On
the same location there had been a small church since 1886 which
was demolished in 1900 in order to build a larger one due to the
increasing population. The church’s construction began in
1923 and was completed in 1931. It was designed by Anastasios
Orlandos.
The
decoration of the church (1935-39) was designed by architect Georgios
Nomikos while the interior’s pictorial decoration was made
by the painter Spiros Vassiliou and his atelier between 1936 and
1939. The mosaics on the conches of the impressive porch were
made by Sotirios Varvolglis in 1972-73.
The
church has a cross-in-square shape with an impressive interior
decorated with mosaics and a well crafted marble incrustation.
The pictorial decoration and the wooden screen are inspired by
the religious art of Macedonia and the islands. Many icons have
been offered by prominent wealthy families.
Anastassios
Orlandos
Orlandos
(1887-1979) was an architect and archaeologist who contributed
significantly to the classical, Byzantine and post-Byzantine
studies in Greece. He was a member of the Academy of Athens
and professor at the Technical University whom also taught
Byzantine archaeology at the University of Athens. At
the same time he was director of the restoration department
of the Archaeological Service.
Anastassios
Orlandos conducted numerous excavations and on-site research.
He was responsible for the restoration of several classical
monuments, including the Propylaea and the Parthenon,
as well as numerous christian churches throughout Greece.
He made vital studies on the architecture of the Parthenon,
the building materials in Ancient Greece and the architectural
type of the early christian timber-roofed basilicas.
He
made a significant contribution to research with his work
Archive of Byzantine Monuments in Greece (twelve volumes
– 1937-73). It was Orlandos’ firm belief that
the archaeological sites of Greece (ancient, Byzantine
and modern) are all part of an entity. This idea was adopted
by the archaeological legislation.
As
an architect, he designed about fifty churches including
the Church of Saint Dionysius Areopagitou on Skoufa street
and the Church of Saint Basil (Agios Vassilios) on Metsovou
Street in Athens. His research has been internationally
established and his skills proved crucial for the operation
of numerous institutes and organizations.
Skoufa street
Syntagma - Panepistimio
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typical words, please consult our Greek
glossary