Monastery of Frangavilla

At the green hill with the dense vegetation that is located southeastern of Amaliada, is one of the most important pilgrimages of Elis, the church of the Dormition of Virgin Mary, which was the catholicon of the Byzantine monastery of Frangavilla. The name probably reflects the Frankish presence in the area in later years and has no direct relationship to the church, which is older than the period of the Latin Occupation.

The church was constructed in the 11th century and is the one building that survives from the monastery complex. Until the beginning of the 20th century, at a close distance to it survived ruins of buildings that probably housed the cells of the monks. However, nowadays the area has been altered by the interventions, the changes and the erections of new buildings and its level has risen so that the proportions of the building have been deformed. But the building itself has seen significant alterations through the centuries, especially in the period of Turkish occupation.

Architecturally, it belongs to the type of cross-in-square church with a dome supported on pillars. It is interesting that it belongs to a special category of churches, which have their western arm of the cross smaller. Its walls are built with large carved limestone and bricks, with ceramic decoration at the arch of the altar area, while at the dome they have adopted the famous technique of the “recessed brick”, which reflects the architectural tradition of Constantinople and appears here for the first time in the Peloponnese. Its roof is not the original one, but it was shaped in the decade of 1960, when there were extended interventions to the building. At its interior survive interesting wall paintings that date from the 17th century, while more recent are the wall paintings at the built screen.

Near the church is the building that houses the boarding house of the Metropolis of Elias.