The Metropolis Church of Athens is known by all. Next to it, however, there is another small gem, the so-called “little Metropolis Church” of Athens. It is a small church dedicated to Panagia Gorgoepikoos (Virgin Mary who hears us and answers promptly) and to Agios Eleftherios.
The history of the temple and the special material of the construction
The small Metropolis Church was built at the end of the 12th century. It’s characteristic that for its construction stones or bricks were not used as a building material . Its architect, following the customary building tactics of the time, used recycled building material. He thus built the church on a temple dedicated to Eileithyia, the ancient deity who protected pregnant women.
After the creation of the Greek state, the small Metropolis Churchwas dedicated to Agios Eleftherios, in the name of freedom. Three years later and for a while the small church housed the public library of Athens. From 1863 onwards it was dedicated to Agios Eleftherios. This is, in fact, a very special construction. The walls of the temple are entirely made of large marble stones with no ornamentation. One can even see reliefs from ancient Greek, Roman and early Byzantine monuments. You’ll see no bricks anywhere except for the dome.
Kapnikarea: Unknown aspects of the temple that is in the centre of Athens
Standing there for so many centuries, having been constructed in this special way, you can observe that the illustration and reliefs of the temple are full of symbolism depicting the pass of centuries. During the years of the Turkish occupation, it was the chapel of the residence of the High Priest of Athens. That’s when it became known as the Small Metropolis Church, and it kept this name to this day.
This elegant and impressive church survives to this day in its original form. Many describe it as an open-air sculpture museum and they have a point. The combination of the materials used for its construction gives such an impressive result.
Taking a walk in the centre of Athens, make a stop and get to know it closely.
Photo Source: Holy Archdiocese of Athens
National Garden: The best walk in the heart of Athens
Frequently Asked Questions
The Little Metropolis Church of Athens is a small Byzantine church located next to the main Metropolis Church in central Athens. Built at the end of the 12th century, it is dedicated to Panagia Gorgoepikoos (Virgin Mary who hears and answers promptly) and to Agios Eleftherios. The church is renowned for its unique construction using recycled materials from ancient Greek, Roman, and early Byzantine monuments.
The Little Metropolis Church was constructed using recycled building materials, primarily large marble stones from ancient temples, Roman structures, and early Byzantine monuments. The walls are made entirely of these marble stones with no ornamentation, and bricks were used only for the dome. This unique construction approach was a common building tactic during the 12th century.
The Little Metropolis Church was built on the remains of a temple dedicated to Eileithyia, the ancient Greek goddess who protected pregnant women. The architect of the church followed customary building tactics of the 12th century by recycling materials and constructing the new church on top of the existing ancient temple structure.
After the creation of the Greek state, the Little Metropolis Church was initially dedicated to Agios Eleftherios in the name of freedom. For a period, it housed the public library of Athens. From 1863 onwards, it was permanently dedicated to Agios Eleftherios. During the Turkish occupation, it served as the chapel of the residence of the High Priest of Athens, which is when it became known as the Small Metropolis Church.
The Little Metropolis Church is called an open-air sculpture museum because its walls feature numerous reliefs and illustrations from ancient Greek, Roman, and early Byzantine monuments. These recycled decorative elements are full of symbolism depicting the passage of centuries. The combination of materials and artistic elements creates an impressive sculptural display that attracts visitors and historians alike.
