What I can see

The Daphni Monastery is a rare building complex. It is fortified with walls, towers, battlements and has a courtyard and two gates (eastern – western). In the courtyard there are traces of buildings (possibly cells) and on the north side ruins of the dining room. In the southern part are arcades, cell wings and buildings which have been renovated over the centuries. Hypocausts have also been found that indicate the existence of a bath, something quite unusual. The church is catatonically shaped and is one of the most important of the Middle Byzantine period. The dome stands out for its size and the way it is supported, creating a spacious central part of the church. The western narthex is of the same period, while the outer narthex has a later date with additions by Cistercian monks during the Frankish occupation. Around the windows is a rich ceramic decoration. Rare and sumptuous mosaics and marble decorations show that the monument is related to the imperial court. The tiles artistically depict the orthodox dogma. The Almighty is represented at the dome, followed by prophets, angels, the Virgin, saints, bishops and scenes from the life of Christ. The figures (some created in the 17th and 18th centuries) are stern but polite, with expressive characteristics and excellent proportions. The gold background gives an embossed impression, referring to classical and Hellenistic patterns and the sphere of the divine or the celestial world. On the eastern side and outside the monastery is a place for walking and running.

What I can't see

The name probably comes from the ancient temple of Apollo Daphnaiou or Daphniou. The crypt beneath the narthex was converted into a mausoleum for the dukes of Athens during the Frankish occupation. The monument has fallen victim to looting many times over the centuries, and one of the most important removals of architectural components and pieces of art was by Lord Elgin, who had also removed the sculptures of the Parthenon. From the late 19th-century on it has been restored periodically. Today, it belongs to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list.

Info

• Address: Athinon Av. (11th km from Syntagma)

Bibliography