Daphni Monastery

Welcome to the historic Daphni Monastery, situated in the serene environment of a lush laurel grove in the suburb of Chaidari, just eleven kilometers northwest of central Athens, south of Athinon Avenue. Surrounded by an…

Standing before the southern wall of the monastery church, we encounter a truly remarkable and surprising historical contrast. Built directly into the medieval masonry of this sixth-century Christian monastery is an ancient Ionic…

Standing before the magnificent façade of this Eastern Orthodox Byzantine church, it is truly astonishing to observe the addition of French Cistercian Gothic pointed arches and a western cloister. The harmonious blending of two…

As we look up at the mosaic expanding across the crown of the central dome, we are immediately captivated by its overwhelming majesty and divine authority. Among all the surviving Byzantine monuments across the Mediterranean…

Standing before the mosaics in the corner squinches of the church, it is profoundly surprising to discover that these Byzantine religious figures assume the balanced contrapposto poses and classical proportions of ancient Greek…

Standing in the northern courtyard of the monastery, we encounter a fascinating architectural revelation. The large rectangular refectory building, measuring twenty-eight point seven meters in length, was constructed during the…

As our audio guide tour comes to a close, we hope you have enjoyed exploring the rich history and artistic treasures of Daphni Monastery. From the ancient Ionic column embedded in its southern wall to the grand eleventh-century…