Agios Dionysios Areopagitis Church

The impressive church that stands dominant at a central location of Kolonaki square, on Skoufas street, opposite the Experimental School of the University of Athens, is dedicated to the bishop and patron saint of Athens, Agios Dionysius the Aeropagite.

On the location of the present day church there was another smaller one, which started to be constructed in 1880 and was demolished in 1900 in order to erect another, larger one. Construction works started in 1925 and were completed in 1931, when the inauguration was carried out by the Archbishop Chrysostomos.

This is a cross-in-square church with a large dome, following the neo-baroque style, and is characterized for its neo-classical elements in its exterior. Its plans were made the architect and Byzantologist Anastasios Orlandos, who was also responsible for the supervision of the construction works, which were completed with the contribution of the architect Dimitrios Filippakis.

Some of the most important artists of that time worked for the decoration of the church, such as the painter Spiros Vasileiou, who painted the icons, Sotirios Varvoglis and Stefanos Xenopoulos, responsible for the mosaics, and Theofanis Nomikos, one of the best wood-carvers, who made the woodworks. The architect Georgios Nomikos, brother of Theofanis was responsible for the general supervision of the interior and exterior decoration. They also made the impressive, and unique for Greece, wooden chandelier of the church. Many of the religious artifacts in the church are donations from wealthy Athenians.

The church celebrates in October 3rd, but until the final restoration of the Metropolitan church is used as the cathedral and hosts all the official celebrations of the city.