Kapnikarea

Byzantine Church of Ermou Sreet

Introduction Brief Description of the monument: Use, typology, style and current location.

1. Current Life
2. History, major events: Name, use, demolishment.
3. Building Phases:

Body 11th century

12TH century
13th – 20th century

3. Architectural elements per phases: Southern Church, Northern Chapel and Exonarthex

Conclusion Defined structure of monument. Important elements to highlight and their relation to the modern life
“In the heart of the central Ermou street in
Athens lays an impressive monument dated to the
Middle-Byzantine period. It is a church dedicated to the Virgin
Mary (specifically to the Presentation of Mary to the
Temple) and is generally known as Kapnikarea.” - Nikolaos Gkioles
 Κατακαπνισμένη (katakapnismeni)
Icon of Mary: found sooty, burned after the Ottoman invasion.

Καμουχάς (kamouchas)
Fine textile believed to frame the holy icon

It is accepted that the name comes from the name from the donor of the Church, Kapnikaris, which was a collector
of the tax Kapnikon, which was a capital tax, as an attempt to recover the economy of the Byzantine State.

Nicephorus I introduced tew types of taxation known as the Nicephorus Vexations. Kapnikon was aimed at the
taxation of residential buildings.
1. Current Situation
1. URBAN CONTEXT
2. CULTURAL CONTEXT
3. SPATIAL CONTEXT
2. History
History

Demolishment

• In 1834 is was in danger of being demolished as it was in the middle of the urban plan made by the
Bavarian architect Leon von Klenze.

• It was in danger again in 1863 because of the classicism cleanse movement which aimed to erase
everything that was not classic In the city.
3. Building Phases

Today is a building complex consists of three chronologically different

phases:

1. Church of the Presentation of the Virgin, mid 11 century.

2. The exonarthex, conversion of the stoa to an exonarthex, beginning of the

12th century.

3. During Ottoman epoch, the northern church dedicated to St. Barbara.  

1. Church of the Presentation of the Virgin, mid 11 century.
2. The exonarthex, conversion of the stoa to an exonarthex, beginning of the 12th
century.
3. During Ottoman epoch, the northern church dedicated to St. Barbara
4. Architectural elements

1ST PHASE:
Church of the Presentation of the Virgin, mid 11 century.

1. COLUMNS: The columns that hold the main dome at the southern church consist of 3
simple Corinthian capitals and 1 complex Corinthian capital with rising reed leaves on
the upper zone and acanthus leaves on the lower.
2
These capitals date to the 5th Century.
.

2. BEMA: The arrangement of the middle chamber of the bema is of a tripartite form, with 3 3
two conches at the sides opening to the parabemata on the sides, facilitating movement . 1 1 .
around the altar.
. .
Similar design choices can be seen in the slightly older Russian monument Soteira 1 1
Lukodemou. It is believed to be an early Christian element that survived and re-emerged
3 . . 3
during the 11th century.
. .
3. PILASTERS: Along the walls, there are pilasters corresponding to the columns of the
naos, built with the structural purpose of reinforcing the exact points where the weights of
the vaults are place through the arches. (characteristic of the Constantinople school of
Architecture).

Pilasters where placed on the outer façade that took the shape of buttresses, later removed
as it happened to other Athenian churches of the 11th century such as Soteira tou Kotaki
and St Catherine.
 
1ST PHASE:
Church of the Presentation of the Virgin, mid 11 century.
4

4. APSES: The three apses of the east façade are three-sided. The middle one has 3 light
windows while the other ones have one double-light window each ; white lights are
separated by marble mulions holding dosserets in relief.
 

5. ROOFS: Round-shaped-calotte roofs have been associated to the architectural tradition

of Constantinople

5&6
6. DOME The Athenian dome has an octagonal drum at the tips of which there are
marble colonettes of semi-octagonal profiles, at this 8 points where the water is
gathering, there are animal figured waterspouts, of which 4 survive at the east of the
dome.
1ST PHASE:
Church of the Presentation of the Virgin, mid 11 century.

7. MASONRY
 
1. The monument is built of Middle-Byzantine masonry technique which emerges in the area of
contemporary Greece from the second half of the 10th century onwards and is known as cloisonne.

2. In the monument pseudo-kufic patterns appear on the vertical joints of the walls, nave and exonarthex,
as well as on top of the horseshoe arch at the south entrance. (appeared first at Kufa, Mesopotamia)

3. Several decorations try to portray the shape of a cross across the whole monument. This can be seen on
the lower limestone blocks of the church that portray the shape of a cross.

4. Slight meandro pattern brick work is seen at the south and west façade, possibly as a result of the
ongoing classicism purist movement.

5. Dentils are found all around the church. At the skirt of the walls, on the low opening sills. Around the
apses at the height of the window lights. At the middle windows as well as over the cornice which
defines the southern cross arm. The dome lights are also encircled by dentils courses.
 2. CROSS DECORATIONS

1 & 5. CLOISONNÉ AND DENTILS

3. KUFIC 4. MEANDROS
2nd PHASE:
Chapel of St Barbara

PROPYLON

PORTICO

WINDOWS

MASONRY

ARCHES

ROOFING
3rd PHASE:
Chapel of St Barbara

DOME

MASONRY

VAULTS
Conclusion 3. Ottoman
To develop a detailed architectural/archaeological DOME
scheme of the monument for the management of its
elements within its phases. MASONRY

VAULTS

2. 12 th
century 1. 11 th
century
PROPYLON

PORTICO COLUMNS
PILASTERS
WINDOWS APSES
BEMA
MASONRY DOME
ROOFING
ARCHES VAULTS
ARCHES
ROOFING MASONRY
Conclusion
Taking advantage of the already strong relationship the monument has with
the inhabitants of the city in order to integrate and portray the historical and
cultural importance of the church into the modern performances happening
in its surroundings nowadays
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gkioles N. (NA) The church of Kapnikarea in Athens: Remarks on its history, typology and form (1-13)

Bouras C. (NA) Byzantine Athe,s 10th-12th century, (226-231)

https://en.uoa.gr/about_us/services_units/kapnikarea/

https://www.thisisathens.org/attractions/church-panagia-kapnikarea

https://greekcitytimes.com/2021/07/10/panagia-kapnikarea-athens-oldest-historical-churches-
2/