Churches
The monasteries and churches in Zagori follow their own architecture and are built with materials of the region, namely stone and wood. These buildings date back hundreds of years, since they are chronologically older than the common houses or in the villages. A common feature of the temples is the large outdoor shed with arches, which was a kind of antechamber that protected the faithful from the winter weather conditions. In many monastery churches the door is very low. It is a typical construction of the area and it was used to prevent the profane conquerors from entering the holy space riding on their horse, as they used to.
Every year on the 24th of June a feast is held by the monastery.
It is worth mentioning that, in the area of the monastery lies the only point where the two sides of the Vikos gorge stand so close. Interesting locations near the monastery are Ashtario, the chapel of Paliagiorgi, Saint Paraskevi of Rogovo and Palihogifyro.
- Square
- Bridges
- Churches
- Fountains
Monastery of Saint Paraskevi in Skamneli
In Skamneli is located the monastery of St Paraskevi, which was built in 1697. At first, 80 nuns lived there but afterwards, it hosted only monks. It had a great library of valuable documents that were gathered in the central church of Skamneli. The Feast at the monastery is on July 26th. At the opposite of the monastery, is located the monastery of St. Nikolaos.
Monastery of Saint Paraskevi in Monodentri
The oldest temple of the area, built in the late 14th century/ in the beginning of the 15th century and the first phase of frescoes in 1414/15. Built on the edge of the Vikos Gorge, it offers stunning view of the gorge. From the Monastery begins a short steep path that ends up in the natural fortified position of Askitario or else “small houses”.
Monastery of Evangelistra in Ano Pedina
A large monastic complex created in different eras, mainly from the late 17th to the 19th century with an original date in 1793. The frescoes in the church date back to the first decade of the 19th century. Here stayed the famous clergyman and scholar from Ano Pedina Neofitos Doukas.
Monastery of Voutsa
The Monastery of Voutsa is located between the villages of Greveniti, Flambourari, Doliani at the banks of the river Vardas, the riverside of Arachthos. Panagia (Virgin Mary) the Pogoniotissa, as the people used to say. The monastery is built in a magnificent location: in the small valley formed by the passage of the river Varda, in the midst of a beautiful forest. The tradition states that the monastery was founded by the Emperor Constantine IV Pogonatos in 672, but the inscription in the church mentions that it was renovated and recorded in 1680. Although the history of the monastery is lost in the depths of the centuries, the most tragic moment happened in the past century: On October 13, 1943, the Monastery of Voutsa was almost entirely burned by the Germans in the war operations against the rebel groups in the region. It was designated as a historic monument, as a landmark.
The monasteries and churches in Zagori follow their own architecture and are built with materials of the regions, namely stone and wood. These buildings date back in time, since they are chronologically older than the common houses or mansions of the villages. A typical feature of the temples is the large outdoor shed with arches, which was a kind of antechamber that protected the faithful from the winter weather conditions. In many monastery churches the door is very low, a construction that we often find in the area and was used to prevent the profane conquerors from entering the holy space riding on their horse, as they used to.
It was probably built in 1738 over the springs of the Voidomatis River, in the Vikos Gorge.
The building of the monastery dates back to the late 16th century, while its church was built in 1665 and its carved murals of 1673 were made by a workshop of painters from the village of Grammos in Kastoria. It is built in contact with a vertical big rock that ends at Voidomatis river.
In its present form the church is a building of the middle of the 17th century, while the auxiliary spaces are of different eras, dating back to the 19th century. There are important frescoes in the eastern part of the temple and parts of the north and south wall of the 17th century, but with unsuccessful over-paintings from the 19th century.