Description of the attraction
The city of Kastoria (Kastoria) is located in the northwestern part of Greece and is one of the oldest cities in western Macedonia. In Kastoria, as well as in its environs, a huge number of churches of the Byzantine and post-Byzantine periods have survived to this day, where you can still admire the unique wall paintings and magnificent icons.
One of the most important and interesting religious sights of Kastoria is the Monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa. A beautiful Byzantine temple is located on the shores of the picturesque Lake Orestiada, 4 km from the city center. It was built in the XI century (presumably in 1082) during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Alexei Comnenus I in honor of the victory over the Normans.
The main catholicon of the monastery is a one-nave basilica with a wooden roof. The interior decoration of this temple is striking in its splendor. It is interesting that six icon painters were engaged in wall painting, each of whom possessed his own unique technique, nevertheless, the whole ensemble looks more than harmonious. The outer part of the building was painted already in the 13th century and some of these beautiful masterpieces have survived to this day. Remarkably, the frescoes that were located in well-lit areas have been much better preserved than those that were in the shade.
On the territory of the monastery there is also a chapel in honor of St. John the Theologian, which dates back to the 16th century. Near the entrance to the monastery, a magnificent plane tree grows, which is 900 years old (its height is 67 m, and the circumference of the trunk is 8.5 m).
Visiting the monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa, you can not only admire the stunning frescoes of the Byzantine era, but also enjoy the picturesque nature of the surroundings of Lake Orestiada.
Description added:
Anna 19.08.2013
The frescoes suffered: the faces are partially lost (hewn), scratched, there are inscriptions on them left by the conquerors
A plane tree with a huge hollow (partially burnt), but alive and huge.
The lake is home to pelicans, swans, ducks, a lot of fish, but they don't swim
