Athens has many hidden stories and secrets from its ancient past. One of them is related to the Acropolis and its monuments, which have witnessed thousands of years of history. There is something that most people are unaware of, even if they have seen it from a distance.
On the south side of the Sacred Rock, there is a small church, also known as Panagia Spiliotissa. But to understand its origin, we have to go back to the beginning. There, on the south side of the acropolis rock, there is a cave. And in front of this cave, there is a monument that stands out when you look at the Theatre of Dionysus. This is the monument of Thrasyllos, a sponsor of the Great Dionysian Games.
The monument was built around 320 BC by Thrasylos, and it had the shape of a miniature temple, resembling the typical sponsored monuments. The monument survived until 1827, when it was destroyed by a bombardment during the Turkish siege of the Acropolis. The iron bars that you can see today indicate that there is something valuable inside.
That something is an unknown church, a secret that few people know about, that is located in the Acropolis, at its feet. The older generations, however, are familiar with Panagia Spiliotissa (Virgin Mary of the Cave), which was created during the Ottoman occupation. The ancient and the christian monument coexist in harmony, in front of and behind the cave.
Photo Source: Davide Mauro
The small church was established in the cave, and the monument of Thrasyllos was preserved almost intact until 1827, with some modifications, such as the closing of its two openings with walls. And it was always a popular subject in the historical depictions of the monuments of Athens of the 18th and early 19th centuries. In early 2017, the monument of Thrasyllos was restored and the walls of Panagia Spiliotissa were renovated, inside the cave. The Acropolis has been keeping this secret for years very well…
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Frequently Asked Questions
Panagia Spiliotissa, also known as the Virgin Mary of the Cave, is a small hidden church located in a cave on the south side of the Acropolis rock in Athens. It was established during the Ottoman occupation and remains one of Athens' best-kept secrets, coexisting with the ancient monument of Thrasyllos.
The secret church is located on the south side of the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis, in front of the Theatre of Dionysus. It is situated inside a cave behind the iron bars that mark the ancient monument of Thrasyllos, making it invisible to most visitors.
The monument of Thrasyllos was built around 320 BC by Thrasylos, a sponsor of the Great Dionysian Games. It was designed as a miniature temple and survived until 1827 when it was destroyed during a Turkish bombardment of the Acropolis. The monument was restored in early 2017, along with renovations to the Panagia Spiliotissa church inside the cave.
The Panagia Spiliotissa church was created during the Ottoman occupation of Athens. It was established in the cave on the south side of the Acropolis, where it still exists today. The church underwent renovations in early 2017 as part of the restoration of the surrounding monument of Thrasyllos.
The church is hidden inside a cave behind iron bars on the south side of the Acropolis, making it virtually invisible to most tourists. Only older generations are familiar with Panagia Spiliotissa, as it is not prominently advertised or easily accessible, allowing the Acropolis to keep this secret very well.
