{"id":1852,"date":"2010-09-26T14:33:29","date_gmt":"2010-09-26T11:33:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klqewmpxo.cyon.link\/?page_id=1852"},"modified":"2024-11-05T16:14:04","modified_gmt":"2024-11-05T14:14:04","slug":"naxos-agios-georgios-pachomios-apiranthos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azalas.de\/en\/naxos-agios-georgios-pachomios-apiranthos\/","title":{"rendered":"Agios Georgios and Agios Pachomios near Apiranthos"},"content":{"rendered":"

I<\/big>n the valley south of Ap\u00edranthos, close to the hiking trail that leads to Danak\u00f3s, lie two old Byzantine churches from the 10th century with interesting murals.<\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nAgios Georgios, the larger of the two churches, consists of two naves. Here the two apses from the outside.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nThe roof of the northern ship of \u00c1gios Ge\u00f3rgios is covered in the traditional way with stone slabs.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nThe dome of Agios Pachomios resembles the hull of a windmill.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nthe church complex from the southwest side<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nThe walls, as with most Byzantine churches on Naxos, are built of rough, unhewn stones in a rather negligent way.<\/small><\/p>\n

\u00c1gios Ge\u00f3rgios<\/h3>\n

\u00c1<\/big>gios Ge\u00f3rgios has two naves, the southern one of which has a very low dome. This nave is decorated in the area of the apse with poorly preserved, rather simple and “rural” murals.<\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nThe low door of the northern nave is covered by a disproportionately large lintel stone.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nthe northern nave from the inside<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nHere in the southern nave, one can see how poorly the whole church is built: the walls and half-columns are askew, and the dome is only roughly round.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nThe apse of the southern nave is decorated with murals from the 13th century, some of which are comparatively well preserved.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nThe lower part shows a number of saints.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals<\/p>\n

\"murals<\/p>\n

\"murals
\nAs usual, the godfather (Pantokratoras) is depicted in the middle of the apse, with two figures to the right and left of him.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals<\/p>\n

\"murals
\nTo the left of him stands Mother Mary in a pleading posture.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nLike all the paintings in this church, the Virgin is executed rather simply, the face mainly “painted with strokes”; nevertheless, it is very expressive.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nSome particularly delicate parts of the murals have been covered with a special cloth to protect them.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nTo the right and left of the apse lie small niches, also with pictures of saints.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nThe figure in the left niche is quite well preserved.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nIn the northern part very rare fragments of non-figurative murals from the 10th century, the time of the iconoclasm, have survived.<\/small><\/p>\n

\u00c1gios Pach\u00f3mios<\/h3>\n

\u00c1<\/big>gios Pach\u00f3mios is a very small cross-domed church; the dome of this church is relatively high.<\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nThe very small church of Agios Pachomios dates from the 12th century, so it is slightly younger than the other.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"donkey
\na curious donkey<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nThe western “arm” of the cross is quite long, while the southern and northern arms are very short.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nThis church is still in use and has a typical wooden altar wall. Similar to the church of \u00c1gios Pach\u00f3mios in Tsikalari\u00f3, young children were pushed through the hole in the altar wall to make them fat and strong (the name of the saint is derived from pach\u00eds<\/em> = fat).<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nThe murals in the spandrels below the dome are the best preserved; they depict the four evangelists, here St John the Theologian. As in many churches a small “sound vase” is built into the wall; the opening of the clay vessel can be seen in the spandrel. It was intended to improve the acoustics.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nThe murals are executed more carefully than in the church of \u00c1gios Ge\u00f3rgios. There is another sound vase in this spandrel.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nThe ornaments are painted in fine detail.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nOn the south wall below the dome a large angel is depicted.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nIt is very carefully crafted. According to a date, the decoration of this church was made in 1254.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nThe white splashes on the garment are strongly elevated “three-dimensional” dabs of colour.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nIn the western part of the church, above the entrance, the crucifixion of Christ is depicted on the north side.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nIn the western part of the church the crucifixion of Christ is depicted.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nFigure to the right of the small window above the entrance<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals
\nThe dome shows God the Father in the centre, surrounded in a rather ancient manner by twelve figures, including four angels carrying the “shield” with the head of the Pancrator.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals<\/p>\n

\"murals
\nWhat a pity that the murals are not so well preserved!<\/small><\/p>\n

\"murals<\/p>\n

\"Agios
\nview of the churches from the south with Apiranthos in the background<\/small><\/p>\n

continue: Agios Joannis in Kerami<\/a><\/p>\n

see also:<\/p>\n