Agia Irini Church
Agia Irini Church in Athens
Agia Irini Church
Agia Irini Church is located on Aiolou Street, a block away from shopping street Ermou. At the church is the popular Agias Irinis Square, a spot with many cafes, bars and restaurants.
In some sources it is mentioned that Agia Irini Church was built from ruins of more than 70 older Byzantine churches and parts of old ruins of the Acropolis. The German painter Ludwig Thiersch (1825-1907), influenced by the Nazarene movement (form of German Christian art) applied the Nazarene technique in the ecclesiastical art, setting aside the post-Byzantine technique that was on a decline during that period.
Agia Irini Church is a representative of the Nazarene expression with murals (1884-88) by Thierschʼs student Spyridon Xatzigiannopoulos. This beautiful church is well known for its devout atmosphere during the laudations of the Christmas or Easter holidays.
