This is a lovely little 1000 year old church tucked away in the busy Monastiraki shopping district. It is small and free to enter. It is not a destination but definitely worth a pop in if you are in the area and come across it. It was enough to give our teens the flavor of a Byzantine church without them losing interest.

This was one of my favourite churches in Athens, perhaps because it has managed, against all odds to survive for over 1000 years. Over the centuries it has been damaged by earthquakes, come under attack during the Greek War of Independence, and was very nearly demolished in the 19th century to make way for Ermoú Street. And yet it is still here. It sits smack bang in the centre of busy Ermou street and, due to its age, it sits slightly below street level. It’s a curious thing to see this beautiful little 1000 year old church surrounded by the shops and chain stores and commerce that have grown up around it. Built in the 11th century, it was constructed over the top of the ruins of an old temple dedicated to Athena or Demeter. What you see here is a classic Byzantine church, square and topped with a central dome which is supported by four massive columns. Its made of heavy stone blocks, many of which were scavenged / recycled from older buildings. A shimmering golden mosaic of Mary and baby, Jesus, sits above the main entrance. It looks as if it would be very old - Mary is in traditional blue robes and, in the early style of iconography, Jesus looks like a miniature adult rather than a baby. However we later learnt that its a relatively modern work that has adopted a centuries older style. It’s free to enter but no photos are allowed.

This church is around 1000 years old and tiny. I've never seen a church of this style anywhere and from what I understand it was one of the oldest churches in Athens. The interior lets in very little light but the walls are covered in old and vibrant paintings. It is a little small but we still enjoyed our quick visit. Each day there are local bands that play in front and one day it was quite good. The closest metro is Monastiraki which is about a 5 minute walk away and there are other churches in the area to check out. There are many restaurants and cafes in the area if you're looking for a quick stop as you walk around Athens. I think it goes without saying but protect your valuables in this area.

Although we located this church on a map, we did not expect to see it literally in the middle of a shopping street, almost as if they continued to build the city around it. Not a big church but both the exterior and interior are a little different, so definitely worth a look. Did we mention it is free too??