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Church of the Transfiguration

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Church of the Transfiguration, Eastern Orthodox church in Plaka, Greece.

The Church of the Transfiguration, also called Sotirakis, is a small 11th-century Byzantine church on the north slopes of the Acropolis. It is a simple four-column cross-in-square church with an octagonal Athenian dome and walls built in the brick-enclosed cloisonné system. A small chapel dedicated to Saint Paraskevi is cut into the rock on its south side.

The church was probably built in the third quarter of the 11th century; its north and south walls and dome survive from that phase. It was later extended west and east, likely under Ottoman rule or in the early years of the Greek state. After his execution on 4 June 1825, Odysseas Androutsos was buried secretly in the churchyard.

The church is known locally as Mikra Sotira or Sotirakis, a nickname referring to its small size, which distinguished it from the Soteira of Lykodemos, today the Russian church. A chapel on the south side, cut into the Acropolis hill, is dedicated to the martyr Paraskevi of Rome. Fragments of 14th- and 15th-century wall paintings survive inside.

The church stands at the northern foot of the Acropolis hill, on Odos Theorias, and its south side is built against the rock, where a small chapel dedicated to Saint Paraskevi is cut into the slope. The north wall faces the street and carries a pointed Ottoman-era arch. Approach on foot through Plaka's lanes.

The building holds the designation of both a protected heritage site and registered archaeological location under Greek law. This dual status is unusual and reflects how religious structures from this period are considered integral to understanding Athens' broader archaeological context.

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Inception
11 century
GPS coordinates
37.97292,23.72650
Latest update
October 26, 2026 09:51
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« Church of the Transfiguration - Eastern Orthodox church in Plaka, Greece » is provided by Around Us (aroundus.com). Images and texts are derived from Wikimedia project under a Creative Commons license. You are allowed to copy, distribute, and modify copies of this page, under the conditions set by the license, as long as this note is clearly visible.

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