Brontochion Monastery

Brontochion Monastery (Greek: Βροντόχιον, Μονή Βροντοχίου) is a monastery in Mystras, Greece.^[1]

The frescoes of Aphentiko church

The abbot Pachomius incorporated into it the small church of the Hodegetria, or "Aphentikon", as the monastery's catholicon.^[2][3][4] The church was reconstructed and completed around 1310, with some scholars giving 1308-1312 as the construction dates and others 1310–1322.^[2][5] The despot Theodore I Palaiologos, who died in 1407, is buried here.^[6]

The Hodegetria Church is the first example of what's called the "Mystras type" design. The lower floor is a three-aisled basilica, whereas above is a traditional Byzantine cross-in-square church plan. The cross-in-square, five-domed gallery is encircled by a portico that has a belfry.^[7] There are also features more typical of Constantinople, such as the use of blind arches.

On the lower level the walls are covered by marble revetment, a luxurious feature, and there is also a surviving fresco of the Virgin Mary as Zoodochos Pege (Life-containing Source) in the lunette above the so-called royal door.^[8]

During Ottoman rule, the monastery was converted into a mosque.^[9]

See also

• History of Roman and Byzantine domes

References

1. Bahr, Lauren S.; (M.A.), Bernard Johnston (1993). Collier's encyclopedia: with bibliography and index. P.F. Collier. p. 71. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
2. Hellier, Chris (1996). Monasteries of Greece. Tauris Parke Books. ISBN 978-1-85043-264-7. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
3. "Ναός της Οδηγήτριας". ODYSSEUS Portal (in Greek). Hellenic Ministry of Culture. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
4. Jeffreys, Elizabeth; Haldon, John F.; Cormack, Robin (2008). The Oxford Handbook of Byzantine Studies. Oxford University Press. p. 362. ISBN 978-0-19-925246-6. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
5. Betz, Hans Dieter (2007). Religion past & present: encyclopedia of theology and religion. Chu-Deu. Brill. p. 83. ISBN 978-90-04-13979-4. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
6. "Church of the Hodegetria". The Byzantine Legacy.
7. Ousterhout, Robert (2021). "Late Byzantine Church Architecture". In Freeman, Evan (ed.). A Smarthistory Guide to Byzantine Art. Smarthistory.
8. "Church of the Hodegetria". Byzantine Legacy.
9. "Ιερά Μονή Βροντοχίου (Ι. Ν. Αγίων Θεοδώρων & Παναγίας Οδηγήτριας)" [Holy Monastery of Brontochion (Holy Churches of Saint Theodores and Panagia Hodegetria]. religiousgreece.gr (in Greek). Retrieved November 9, 2022.

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