Church of the Holy Apostles, Byzantine church in Ancient Agora, Greece.
The Church of the Holy Apostles is a Byzantine place of worship in the Ancient Agora with a central dome supported by four columns. The structure displays a cross-in-square design with semi-circular niches at the ends of each arm.
The Church of the Holy Apostles was built in the late 10th century, partly over the foundations of a 2nd-century nymphaeum. It is the first major Middle Byzantine church in Athens and the starting point of the local "Athenian type", combining a four-pier core with a cross-in-square plan. Repairs and reconstructions show four distinct building phases; it was restored to its original form in 1954–1957.
The name Solaki may come from a sponsor of an Ottoman-era renovation or from the densely populated 19th-century district around the church. It served as a parish church until 1931, when the area was expropriated for excavation. Today it functions as an Orthodox church only on 30 June, the feast of the Holy Apostles.
Access happens during the Ancient Agora site hours, where this sanctuary is part of the larger archaeological area. Visitors can view the structure from different angles and observe the Byzantine building techniques used in its construction.
The church was built partly over a 2nd-century nymphaion, and its floor and altar were originally of marble. Until 1931 it served as a parish church; the area was then expropriated for excavation, and the building was restored to its original form in 1954–1957.
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