GREEK TRAVEL PAGES: The Greek travel - tourism guide on the Internet

Last update: 17 May 2013

Monastery of Loukou

Last Update: Feb 2011

Monastery of the Transfiguration (17th century)

Monastery, Byzantine & Post-Byzantine Monuments IERA MONI LOUKOUS , KYNOURIA , GREECE

  The monument lies to the NW of Astros, in the area of ancient Thyreatis, which is full of antiquities. It was probably built on the site of an Early Christian church of the 5th century AD. The catholicon is a domed church of the composite four columned, cross-in-square type. It is decorated with fine wall paintings and its floor is paved with coloured marble slabs. The wall masonry imitates a careless "cloisonne", and includes ancient architectural parts and brick ornaments. The iconostasis (chancel barrier) is decorated with portable icons dated to the 17th century.
  The first literary reference to the monastery is in the "Geographica" of Meletios, the Metropolitan Bishop of Athens in 1690. The English traveller J. Leake visited the monastery in 1805.

  Regarding the name "Loukou", several theories have appeared:
•the monastery was dedicated to St. Lucia,
•it was due to the ancient cult of Hera (Juno Lucina),
•it was named Lykou after the wolves (lykoi) living in the area,
•the monastery was dedicated to St. Luke,
• it was related to the "Lucus Feroniae"(woods of prey) in which the Villa of Herodes Atticus was located.
  The roof of the catholicon (main church) has been retiled, the two-storeyed tower has been supported and the cells have been restored. In the 1980's the painted decoration of the church was systematically preserved and in 1994-95 the mosaic floor of the catholicon was restored. Today the monument is a convent for nuns.

Photo Gallery


Executives & Departments

  • Archaeological service:, Tel.: 27410 31443, Fax: 27410 32646, E-mail: 25eba@culture.gr
    25th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities, 200 07 Ancient Corinth

Related Locations

Principals / HQ / participations...

Subsidiaries / affiliates / members...

  • Monastery's dependencies:

Activities / facilities / services / specialization

Byzantine & Post-Byzantine Monuments

Art & culture

On site monuments • Churches (Post-Byzantine period (1453-1821))• Monastery (Post-Byzantine period (1453-1821))• Frescoes • Mosaics

Tools
20 May 2013 Greek flag English flag
Log in
User Name:
Password:
 New user  Remember me
Misc
Copyright 1999-2012 International Publications Ltd. - Please read the terms of use prior to any use of this site.