The Church of Anogi

The church of Anogi is dedicated to the Dormition of Virgin Mary. It is a Byzantine church, which, according to the sources, was built in the 12th century. It is considered as one of the oldest and most important churches in the Balkans and it has been declared a protected monument. It is a large (with 30 m length and 10 m width) and was designed in the form of a basilica.

It operated as the Metropolitan temple of the region when Anogi was the capital of the island, in the 16th-17th century. In the church of Anogi you will find marvelous icons of saints and angels, painted on every wall and assorted in five Biblical zones, with influences from Italy and the monasteries of Meteora.

In the church of Anogi you can still see the manufacturers’ detailed work and attention to the acoustics of the church: built-in pitchers in the walls work as amplifiers. This is an element that reflects the importance of the church of Anogi, since, as it was used as the Cathedral church of the region, it apparently gathered a large amount of believers.

The steeple of the church of Anogi is a building of the Venetian period. Its construction is estimated in 1682. It is stone made, tall and imposing and dominates the small square of the village. The great feast of the Church of Anogi is ​​on August 14, on the eve of the festival and it is among the best traditional celebrations in Ithaca.