Brontochion Monastery
The abbot Pachomius incorporated into it the small church of the Hodegetria, 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 that has a belfry. There are also features more typical of Constantinople, such as the use of blind arches.
On the lower level the walls are covered by marble revetment, a luxurious feature, and there is also a surviving fresco of the Virgin Mary 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.
See also
References
- ^ Bahr, Lauren S.; (M.A.), Bernard Johnston (1993). Collier's encyclopedia: with bibliography and index. P.F. Collier. p. 71. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ Hellier, Chris (1996). Monasteries of Greece. Tauris Parke Books. ISBN 978-1-85043-264-7. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ "Ναός της Οδηγήτριας". ODYSSEUS Portal (in Greek). Hellenic Ministry of Culture. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ Jeffreys, Elizabeth; Haldon, John F.; Cormack, Robin (2008). The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. p. 362. ISBN 978-0-19-925246-6. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ Betz, Hans Dieter (2007). Religion past & present: encyclopedia of theology and religion. Chu-Deu. Brill. p. 83. ISBN 978-90-04-13979-4. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ "Church of the Hodegetria". The Byzantine Legacy.
- ^ Ousterhout, Robert (2021). "Late Byzantine Church Architecture". In Freeman, Evan (ed.). A Smarthistory Guide to Byzantine Art. Smarthistory.
- ^ "Church of the Hodegetria". Byzantine Legacy.
- ^ "Ιερά Μονή Βροντοχίου (Ι. Ν. Αγίων Θεοδώρων & Παναγίας Οδηγήτριας)" [Holy Monastery of Brontochion (Holy Churches of Saint Theodores and Panagia Hodegetria]. religiousgreece.gr (in Greek). Retrieved November 9, 2022.
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37°04′34″N 22°22′01″E / 37.076°N 22.367°E
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