The Byzantine churches of Thessaloniki form the richest span of early Christian and medieval church building to survive in one Greek city. They run from the fifth-century basilicas of the early empire to the domed churches of the last Byzantine age, raised in brick over the Roman streets and the martyrs’ tombs. Fifteen of these … Read more
Mycenaean art is the art of Bronze Age mainland Greece, seen at its richest at Mycenae, the leading centre that gives the whole civilization its name. It gathers goldwork, wall frescoes, painted pottery, carved gems, ivory and worked bronze into one confident style. The shaft graves of Mycenae yielded gold funerary masks, inlaid daggers, cups … Read more
Vrondisi Monastery rests on the southern slopes of Psiloritis, the highest mountain range in Crete, above the village of Zaros on the road toward Kamares. Founded around the fourteenth century, this Byzantine monastery became an important centre of learning and art during Venetian rule. A celebrated Venetian fountain carved with figures of Adam and Eve … Read more
Agios Georgios Diasoritis stands alone among the olive groves of the Tragaea valley, a short walk from the village of Halki on Naxos. This modest stone church hides one of the richest cycles of Byzantine wall painting in the Cyclades. Its domed cross-in-square plan dates to the 11th century, and its interior glows with saints, … Read more
Panagia Protothronos stands on the central square of Halki, in the green heart of the Tragaea valley on Naxos. The whitewashed church ranks among the oldest continuously used places of worship on the island, its walls carrying frescoes painted across the Byzantine centuries. The name means “Our Lady enthroned first”, a title tied to an … Read more
The Panagia Drosiani is one of the oldest and most moving Byzantine churches you can visit in Greece, tucked into the green Tragaea valley below the village of Moni on Naxos. Its rough stone walls, clustered domes and dim, incense-scented interior feel almost impossibly ancient, and its layered wall paintings rank among the earliest surviving … Read more
Minoan clothing was elaborate and colourful, from women’s tiered flounced skirts and open bodices to men’s belted kilts, all vividly recorded in the frescoes of Knossos. The garments themselves have perished, so Minoan art carries the whole record. Plan tickets and tours through My Greece Tours. Dress is a direct window onto the people of … Read more
The Knossos frescoes are the vivid Minoan wall paintings of bull-leapers, dolphins and elegant figures, with the originals kept in the Heraklion museum. Plan tickets and tours through My Greece Tours. The frescoes are among the treasures of the Palace of Knossos. The sections below cover what they are, the most famous scenes, how they … Read more
The Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira displays the stunning Minoan frescoes and finds excavated from the Bronze Age town of Akrotiri, including the famous Spring Fresco and the monkeys wall painting. It is the essential companion to a visit to Akrotiri. This guide covers the frescoes, the collection, tickets and how to visit. The … Read more