Athens (Daphni Monastery)
Located in the suburb of Chaidari, 11 km to the north-west of central Athens, is the 11th century Daphni Monastery ('daphni' means 'laurel' in Greek). It replaced an earlier monastery, founded on the site of the Sanctuary of Apollo Daphnaios, destroyed by the Goths in 395. Sacked by Frankish Crusaders in 1205, it was later given to the Cistercians, who abandoned it after the arrival of the Ottomans, who in turn presented it to the Greek Orthodox church. Deconsecrated in 1821 and used for a while as barracks and then a psychiatric hospital, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on account of the outstanding late 11th century mosaics that decorate parts of the interior of its octagonal church, the Catholicon, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. They would originally have been much more extensive. A lot of damage was caused by an earthquake in 1999, but the church and its mosaics have since been superbly restored. This photograph is of part of the north elevation of the church.
Athens (Daphni Monastery)
Located in the suburb of Chaidari, 11 km to the north-west of central Athens, is the 11th century Daphni Monastery ('daphni' means 'laurel' in Greek). It replaced an earlier monastery, founded on the site of the Sanctuary of Apollo Daphnaios, destroyed by the Goths in 395. Sacked by Frankish Crusaders in 1205, it was later given to the Cistercians, who abandoned it after the arrival of the Ottomans, who in turn presented it to the Greek Orthodox church. Deconsecrated in 1821 and used for a while as barracks and then a psychiatric hospital, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on account of the outstanding late 11th century mosaics that decorate parts of the interior of its octagonal church, the Catholicon, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. They would originally have been much more extensive. A lot of damage was caused by an earthquake in 1999, but the church and its mosaics have since been superbly restored. This photograph is of part of the north elevation of the church.