Meister der Aphentico-Kirche in Mistra 002

Brontochion Monastery () is a monastery in

Mystras Mystras or Mistras (), also known in the '' Chronicle of the Morea'' as Myzethras or Myzithras (Μυζηθρᾶς), is a fortified town and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Situated on Mount Taygetus, above ancient Sparta, ...

, Greece. The abbot Pachomius incorporated into it the small church of the

Hodegetria A Hodegetria, or Virgin Hodegetria, is an iconography, iconographic depiction of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) holding the Child Jesus at her side while pointing to him as the source of salvation for humankind. The Virgin's head usually inclines t ...

, or "Aphentikon", as the monastery's catholicon. The church was reconstructed and completed around 1310, with some scholars giving 1308-1312 as the construction dates and others 1310–1322. The despot Theodore I Palaiologos, who died in 1407, is buried here. The Hodegetria Church is the first example of what's called the "Mystras type" design. The lower floor is a three-aisled basilica, whereas above is a traditional Byzantine cross-in-square church plan. The cross-in-square, five-domed gallery is encircled by a

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...

that has a

belfry The belfry /ˈbɛlfri/ is a structure enclosing bells for ringing as part of a building, usually as part of a bell tower or steeple. It can also refer to the entire tower or building, particularly in continental Europe for such a tower attached ...

. There are also features more typical of

Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...

, such as the use of blind arches. On the lower level the walls are covered by

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

revetment, a luxurious feature, and there is also a surviving fresco of the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

as Zoodochos Pege (Life-containing Source) in the lunette above the so-called royal door. During Ottoman rule, the monastery was converted into a mosque.

References

Byzantine monasteries in Greece 14th-century Eastern Orthodox church buildings Mystras Buildings and structures in Laconia Mosques converted from churches in Ottoman Greece Former mosques in Greece {{Greece-Orthodox-monastery-stub

See also

References