Monastery of the Dormition of Virgin Mary

On the eastern edge of the village of Domiana is one of the most important religious monuments of Evrytania, the historical monastery of the Dormition of Virgin Mary.

Its foundation is placed possible in the 16th century and the local traditions connect it to the point where the icon of Virgin Mary was found in a holly. The first catholicon was built in 1515 and was torched twice, once in 1611, because the monks took part in the revolutionary movement of Dionysios Philosophos, and a second time in 1770, during the events of the Orlov Revolt. The church that survives today was constructed in 1779-1787 on the same spot, and the bell tower was added in 1872. In the revolution of 1821 the monastery was the refuge of fighters, like Georgios Karaiskakis, whose presence is commemorated by the name of the northern, low entrance of the catholicon, which is called “the door of Karaiskakis”. The monastery was dissolved in 1833.

The complex possesses buildings of cells, the very tall bell tower, which reaches 18 meters, and a spacious yard with impressive cypresses. The catholicon is a three-aisled basilica and is the only example of this architectural type that survives in Evrytania. On the western side there is a narthex, from which a wooden staircase starts that leads to the gallery. Its walls are built with local stones and wooden framework and its roof is supported on ten columns created by tree trunks. At its interior the walls are decorated with important wall paintings, which are considered  the work of the painters Georgios Georgiou and Georgios Anagnostou, students of the priest-monk, icon painter Dionysios from Fourna. Particular impression creates the roof, decorated with geometric motifs and representations of folk style, and the wonderful wooden carved screen, work of 1759 “by Athanasios”, gold-plated in 1880 by the brother Sarris from Neochori of Tymfristos.

On the northwestern part of the man church, at a depth of 2 metres under the floor, is the holy spring, while the monastery has precious items and sacred relics. It celebrates on the 15th of August.