Panagia Spiliotissa Church
Panagia Spiliotissa Church in Athens (© Copyright: David Carrey / Dreamstime)
Panagia Spiliotissa Church
Also known as Chrysospiliotissa. Above the Dionysus Theater, during the Byzantine Era, a cave (spilia) housed for the first time the church of Panagia Spilotissa.
In ancient times the cave was a Dionysus temple built by Thrasyllos in 320 BC and two Ionian pillars are still remaining from this temple.
Access to the church is possible through a difficult path that begins at the highest point of Dionysus Theater.
The church interior is one of the quaintest representatives of the "alternative" places to worship that started to emerge in Athens during the 6th Century A.D., following the decrees sent by the Byzantine Emperors.
