Daphni (Dafni) Monastery 
"The most perfect monument of the 11th century." --Sir David Talbot-Rice, Byzantine art historian
 Aerial view of Daphni Monastery (© culture.gr). |
The Daphni Monastery (also spelled Dafni) is an 11th-century Byzantine monastery that was founded on the site of a Greek temple. Now a museum and World Heritage Site, it is considered one of the great masterpieces of the Byzantine Empire and is especially famed for its mosaics. The Daphni Monastery is located just outside of Athens.
History
This site has been considered sacred since ancient times, when there was a temple to Apollo here. The temple is long since gone (except one column near the entrance), but the name Daphni (Greek for "laurel," Apollo's favorite plant) still honors Apollo's memory.
In the 6th century, a small Christian monastery was built here, but it was abandoned during the Slav invasions of the 7th and 8th centuries. Daphni Monastery was greatly expanded in the 11th century, when the Byzantine Empire was at its peak. Very little of the monastic buildings (which included a refectory, dormitories and a well) survive, but its domed church is still standing. It has, however, been repeatedly repaired and restored after major damage by invaders and earthquakes.
The Crusaders captured Constantinople in 1204 and Daphni monastery was sacked by Frankish crusaders in 1205. Two years later Daphni was given to the Cistercians from the Abbey of Bellevaux. The Catholic monks added a cloister and the twin Gothic arches in front of the church's west entrance, but did not alter the mosaics.
 Ceiling mosaic of Christ Pantokrator (public domain). |
In 1458, Athens was taken by the Ottomans, who returned Daphni to Greek Orthodox monks. During the long period of the Turkish occupation, Daphni was not a functioning monastery — for a while, the buildings were used as army barracks. It was officially deconsecrated in 1821.
In 1889 and 1897, restoration was carried out on the church by the Greek Archaeological Society; the mosaics were cleaned and consolidated by a team of Italian artisans. The west side of the narthex and the dome were then entirely rebuilt. In 1955-57 the Restorations Department of the Ministry of Culture restored the church and the cloister and repaired the mosaics. In 1960 the walls filling the arches in the western wall of the exonarthex were removed and in 1968 the west entrance to the monastery was cleared.
What to See
The plan of Daphni's church is a "cross-in-square" plan, a common shape in middle Byzantine times. It consists of a central octagonal
The main attraction inside is, of course, the 11th-century Byzantine mosaics. On the central dome is the commanding mosaic of Christ Pantocrator (the Almighty). As is traditional in Greek Orthodox churches, the Annunciation, Nativity, Baptism, and Transfiguration are in the squinches supporting the dome, and the 16 major prophets are displayed between the windows of the dome.
The Adoration of the Magi, with charming details, and the Resurrection are in the barrel vault inside the main (southern) entrance of the church, and the Entry into Jerusalem and the Crucifixion are in the northern barrel vault. Mosaics showing scenes from the life of the Virgin are in the south bay of the narthex (a passage between the entrance and nave).
Map
A satellite view of Daphni. Zoom in (using buttons on the left) for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Explore all of Greece or Athens from space (on a much bigger image) with our Greece Satellite Map and Athens Satellite Map.
Getting to Daphni can be an ordeal, but it doesn't have to be. If possible, see Daphni on your way to or from the Peloponnese. A visit to Daphni can be combined with a stop at Eleusis. Most tours stop at Daphni.
You could brave a taxi, but it's a very ugly ride -- and the 9km (5 1/2-mile) trip west of Athens can take an hour. Coming by bus involves numerous changes. It is best to take the Metro to the Daphni station and continue by bus or taxi.
If you're driving your rental car, follow the signs for Corinth out of Omonia Square in Athens. You will be on a very ugly and very crowded road for the entire journey of at least half an hour (an hour is not unusual). After you cross an overpass of the National Road that runs north to Thessaloniki (Salonika), the road rises steadily for 5km (3 miles) to the gentle crest of a hill. There is a traffic light just over the crest and another traffic light approximately half a kilometer (1500 ft.) farther on. Turn left at the second light and then right along the parallel road about a third of kilometer (about 900 ft.) to the monastery. Warning: Due to the heavy traffic, turning off the National Road is not always easy, so allow yourself plenty of time to get to the left to make the turn.
Quick Facts
| Location: | 5.5 miles (9 km) W of Athens, Attica, Greece |
| Contact: | +30-210-5811558 |
| Hours: | Daily (except major holidays) 8:30am-2:45pm |
| Cost: | €3; free on Sundays between 1 November and 31 March and the first Sunday of every month except in July, August and September |
| Tip: | Daphni is sometimes closed for renovations, so be sure to check with the Greek National Tourism Organization (tel. 210/870-0000) or the Ministry of Culture website (www.culture.gr) to see whether it's open when you plan to visit. |
Sources
- John S. Bowman, Frommer's Greece, 5th edition (November 2005).
- "The Daphni Monastery" - Hellenic Ministry of Culture (accessed August 2006)
- "The Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Lukas and Nea Moni." UNESCO Advisory Body Evaluation (PDF, 989).
More Information
- Traveler Reviews of the Daphni Monastery - TripAdvisor
