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Monastery of Loukou
Last Update: Feb 2011
Monastery of the Transfiguration (17th century)
Monastery of the Transfiguration of Loukous (12th c.) - it is built in a rich green landscape on the ruins of an ancient town
Monastery of the Transfiguration of Loukous - the name LUKUS means Holy forest
Monastery of the Transfiguration of Loukous
Tel.: +30 27550 41260
Monastery of Loukou - Photo Gallery
Monastery of Loukou - Overview
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.
Executives & Departments
- Archaeological service:, Tel.: 27410 31443, Fax: 27410 32646
25th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities, 200 07 Ancient Corinth
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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 |
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