Panagía Kapnikaréa Church — Local services in Athens

My family and I ran across this beautiful chapel on our walking adventure thru this retail district. It was so unique, sitting amongst all these modern apartments and stores towering around it. Although it is small it holds authority over the plaza.

The interior surfaces of the chapel are adorned with paintings, murals, artifacts, history, and other artifacts.

Aside of the historical aspect of the chape, it is still an active Orthodox chapel. Not seconds after entering, a lady behind us paid her tribute to a donations box and lit a cathedral and prayed. Under the dome, there was a man holding one of the columns and praying for a long while.

Given that I am Christian as well, we did what we could to be as quiet and respectful as possible and observe what we could without interfering. It was a blessing to visit this chapel.

You could see the wear and tear on it, withe architectural repairs that are somewhat mismatched, but honest.

The only reason I took a star from a 5 star rating is that there was a strong sewer smell. I think it was coming from a manhole outside of the building. If I were the city, I would endeavor to take care to vent / exhaust the...

Right in the middle of the city, this little chapel is a chill reminder of its deep Christian roots, even with all the hustle and bustle around. The frescoes and cool architecture really make it a hidden gem that’s definitely worth checking out. It feels so unique sitting there among all the tall modern apartments and shops. Even though it’s small, it really stands out in the plaza.

Inside, the walls are filled with paintings, murals, and artifacts that tell a bit of history. Plus, this place is still an active Orthodox chapel. You can definitely see some signs of wear and tear, and the repairs look a bit mismatched, but that just adds...

The Church of Panagia Kapnikarea or just Kapnikarea is a Greek Orthodox church and one of the oldest churches in Athens. It is estimated that the church was built some time in the 11th century, perhaps around 1050. As it was common with the early Christian churches, this was built over an ancient Greek temple dedicated to the worship of a goddess, possibly Athena or Demeter. The church is located in the center of the modern city of Athens, right in the middle of the high-traffic shopping area of Ermou street, at the edge of the...