Religious sites in Peloponnese

Sacred Sites of Greece

This collection spans millennia of spiritual history in the Peloponnese, from the monumental ruins of ancient Olympia's temples to Byzantine monasteries clinging to the cliffs of the Lousios Gorge. Highlights include the UNESCO-listed structures of Mystras, the dramatic rock-hewn setting of Elona Monastery, and the Cathedral of Saint Andrew in Patras, Greece's largest church. These sites showcase diverse architectural styles, including classic Archaic columns, intricate late-Byzantine frescoes, and post-Byzantine stone masonry.

Sacred Sites of Greece — Map

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A

Pantanassa Monastery

The Pantanassa Monastery is a monastery in Mystras, Greece. It was founded by a chief minister of the late Byzantine Despotate of the Morea,…

Napoleon Vier / CC-BY-SA-3.0

B

Megalo Spileo Monastery

Mega Spilaio, formally the Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos, is a Greek Orthodox monastery near Kalavryta, in the Peloponnese…

Matěj Baťha / CC BY-SA 2.5

C

Temple of Hera

The Temple of Hera, or Heraion, is an ancient Archaic Greek temple at Olympia, Greece, that was dedicated to Hera, queen of the Greek gods.

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D

Temple of Zeus

The Temple of Zeus at Olympia was an ancient Greek temple in Olympia, Greece, dedicated to the god Zeus.

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E

Palaia Mone Philosophou

Founded in 963 AD, this is the oldest monastery in the Lousios Gorge. It served as a "secret school" during the Ottoman period and is now a ruined complex accessible via a hiking trail.

F

Mone Peribleptou

This 14th-century Byzantine monastery in Mystras is built into a cave. It is renowned for its exceptional frescoes, which remain some of the finest examples of late-Byzantine religious art.

G

Iera Mone Elones

This 14th-century monastery is built into a sheer red cliff face in the Parnon Mountains. It houses a revered icon of the Virgin Mary and offers panoramic views of the surrounding gorge.

H

Agia Aikaterine

Small Greek Orthodox chapel located in the modern town of Sparta.

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I

Agios Andreas

The largest church in Greece, this Byzantine-style cathedral houses the relics and the cross of Saint Andrew the Apostle, the patron saint of Patras.

J

Saint Nicholas

A prominent neoclassical church located near the port of Patras, featuring a distinctive bell tower and elegant interior decoration.

K

I.N. Agiou Nikolaou

A central Greek Orthodox church in Sparta dedicated to Saint Nicholas.

L

Pantokratoras

A 19th-century church in Patras built on the site of an earlier Byzantine temple. Its architecture is inspired by the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, featuring lead-covered domes.

M

Pantanassa

A significant 19th-century church in the center of Patras, known for its ornate facade and role as a major religious landmark for the city.

N

Monastery of Panagia Kremasti

A 17th-century monastery built into a cliffside near Pyrgos. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and features a small church located within a natural cave.

O

Panaghia Lagadhiotisa-Spelaiodes Naos Panagias Lankadiotissas

A 14th-century cave church located in a gorge near Mystras, containing well-preserved Byzantine frescoes and a natural spring inside the rock.

P

Profitis Ilias

A stone-built chapel situated on a hilltop in the Mani Peninsula, offering views of the Messenian Gulf.

Napoleon Vier / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Q

Mone Philosophou

Founded in the 17th century, this monastery replaced the nearby Old Philosophou. It houses significant religious icons and is situated along the Lousios Gorge hiking path.

R

Mone Agiou Ioannou Prodromou

A 12th-century monastery built directly onto the rock face of the Lousios Gorge. It is notable for its fortified entrance and post-Byzantine frescoes.

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