What I can see

The church of Our Lady Chrysokastriotissa was built on top of an ancient sanctuary of Hestia, it is a single-aisled basilica and its current architecture differs significantly from its original one, as it suffered severe damage during the Greek War of Independence. It was restored during the first years of Greek independence and its architecture is neo-Byzantine, but the propylon has obvious neoclassical elements.

What I can't see

According to tradition, the icon of the Virgin Mary is miraculous, especially for children and infants. It comes from the Parthenon, when it was a Byzantine church and then was occupied by the Franks (1204) and perhaps that is why the icon was called Kastriotissa (“kastro” means castle in Greek) or Chrysokastriotissa (the Acropolis was called “castle”). According to another version, this name may be connected to the Kastriotis family. Before the Greek War of Independence, the faithful never let the candle in front of the icon go out, something that continues to this day.

Info

• Address: 9 Thrassyvoulou & Alimperti St.

Bibliography