Location: 10 km (6 mi) Northwest of Athens, Attica Map
Found: 6th century
Tel. +30 210 581 1558
Daphni Monastery or Dafni Monastery is situated 10 km (6 mi) Northwest of Athens in the Attica region in Greece. Daphni Monastery is situated on the Sacred Way that connected Athens and sacred site of Eleusis. The site is open to the public and tourists are allowed to venture into religious complex, however several of the structures are closed to the public due to reconstruction. There is no significant security and if you feel like sneaking inside it is possible to take a peak inside.
Daphni Monastery was found in the 6th century. It was constructed on a site of Ancient pagan sanctuary of Appollo Daphnaios. Daphni Monastery was destroyed during Goth invasion in 395 AD. One of the columns that remained from the old temple was reused in the construction of the church. Others were removed by Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, who transported to London. The main church of the Daphni Monastery compound (catholicon) was constructed in the 11th century AD and its mosaics were added in the early Comnenan period in the early 12th century.
Roman Catholic Church launched a Fourth Crusade in 1204 that resulted in captured Konstantinopol (capital of Byzantine Empire). Just a year later Crusaders took the monastery. Otho de la Roche, Duke of Athens, transferred the Greek Orthodox Monastery into Roman Catholic Cistercian Abbey of Bellevaux. Upon his death he was buried here. Ironically new invaders, this time Ottoman Turks, kicked out the monks and transferred it back to the Orthodox Christians in 1458. The abbey didn't return back to its former glory and many parts of the complex were abandoned. Parts of the living quarters have been used by the Turkish military as their barracks. During the War of Independence the Turks punished local rebels by disbanding the monastery in 1821. After Greece earned its dependence the site lay abandoned until 1888. Currently Daphni Monastery site is under reconstruction.
History and architecture
The Daphni monastery was founded in
the 6th century on the ruins of the temple of Daphne Apollo which
was destroyed by the Goths in 395. Some columns of Ionic style of
the ancient temple were used again. Only one has been rescued today,
while the rest have been flown to London by Lord Elgin.
The
katholikon of the monastery dates back to the late 11th century and
belongs to the architectural type of the octagonal cruciform church.
In this type, the central space of the main church is enlarged by
replacing the four columns that support the dome by eight columns
placed closer to the walls. The arrangement of the columns that
forms a peristope around the central space and maintains the
cross-arranged arches on the roof with the insertion of half-columns
between them, characterizes in particular the so-called complex
octagonal (or "continental") type of mid-Byzantine church building.
In the katholikon of the monastery are preserved mosaics, the
best preserved of the first period (Komnenian Dynasty, about 1100)
which is represented by the strict and hierarchical depiction of
Pantocrator Christ inside the dome, the main feature of the
Macedonian era.
After the looting of the monastery by the
Crusaders in 1205, Otto de la Roche, Duke of Athens, ceded it to the
Cistercian monks. The French monks rebuilt the exonarthex, added an
enclosure around the monastery and other changes until their
expulsion from the Turks, when the monastery was handed over in 1458
again to the Orthodox monks. Over the centuries the monastery was
deserted. Restoration work began only in 1888.
The origin of
the name
The name of the Daphni monastery is associated with the
ancient Sanctuary of Daphni Apollo, on which it is considered to
have been built. But there are other versions. One of them mentions
that it took its name from the number of laurels that existed in the
area and maybe that was the reason for the founding of the ancient
sanctuary.
Another version associates it with the Virgin of
Daphni in Istanbul. A tradition, narrated by the elderly nun Martha
around 1870 to Georgios Lampakis, states that the name and the
founding of Daphni are related to the princess Daphne. Legend of the
time states that Daphne sank in the Scaramanga Sea, but was rescued
along with twelve barrels full of coins. To thank the Virgin Mary,
he built the monastery in her honor and buried all the remaining
coins in seven jars in the courtyard of the monastery.
There
are still many versions of traditions, rather fiction, which have
emerged from the popular belief that the monastery was the
institution of a Byzantine emperor. One of them connects the Daphni
monastery with the legend of the queen Margarona (Maquelone) and the
noble Imperio, which dates back to the 12th century.
The
foundation of the Daphni monastery
The date of the foundation of
Daphni Monastery has not been clarified with absolute certainty.
Most scholars date the foundation of the monastery to the 6th
century, ie to the early Christian years. During the 5th and 6th
centuries in Athens many churches were built and many pagan temples
were converted to Christianity, due to the spread of Christianity,
after its proclamation as the official religion of the Byzantine
state by Emperor Theodosius I. In order to purify the ancient
temples and sanctuaries, it was necessary to convert them into
Christian churches.
Christian temples belonged to the
architectural type of the basilica. They were elongated rectangular
buildings oriented east - west, with the niche of the sanctuary
attached, on the narrow east side. The interior of the temples was
formed in three aisles (corridors), which were separated by two
colonnades parallel to the longitudinal axis of the temple
(three-aisled basilicas). This type is believed to have been the
church that was built in Daphni in the 6th century, on the site of
the sanctuary of Daphne Apollo, which was destroyed during the
invasion of the Goths of Alaric in 395 AD.
There is a
version, which was recently supported by Professor Charalambos
Bouras, who states that chronologically the foundation of the
monastery was made in the 11th century. This emerges from an
examination of the findings, which all date back to the 11th
century. The absence of monasteries in the area south of Olympus
before the end of the Iconoclasm, ie the beginning of the 9th
century, reinforces this version.
The dating to the 6th century was attributed based on the
sculptures that existed in the area, but which after their study by
archaeologists date back to the Middle Byzantine period (843-1204).
In this early period some monastic cells were attributed, as well as
the fortified enclosure.
The 6th century basilica was
apparently demolished and replaced by the 11th century cruciform
octagonal church. The limited excavations that have been made to
locate the 6th century basilica, have not had any result, until
today.
Founder of the Daphni monastery
The foundation of
the Monastery of Daphni, probably around 1080, was sponsored by an
unknown donor, as there is no special inscription. The influence of
Constantinople on both the architecture and the mosaic decoration of
the monastery's katholikon has led researchers to conclude that the
donor was a high-ranking official or an emperor, who may have
invited craftsmen from the city.
Many scholars have linked
Daphni with Basil II the Bulgarian (976-1025), due to his admiration
for the ancient city of Athens. However, the study of the
architecture and decoration of the katholikon has led archaeologists
to conclude that the church was built in the years around 1080. So
we can simply attribute the sponsorship to one of its successors.
Its architecture
The monastery of Daphni consists of the
katholikon, the precinct, the cells of the monks, the bank, the
kitchen, the bath, the cistern and a rectangular room.
The
catholic
The katholikon of Daphni dominates in the middle of the
almost square large courtyard. Its size is impressive, its
architectural type is complex and its masonry is of exceptional
quality. The church belongs to the complex octagonal architectural
type - it is in fact one of the most important examples of this type
in Greece. Externally one could liken it to a large cube, which
supports a wide and high dome. Internally, the dome rests on eight
four-sided supports (pillars), four free and four built into the
walls. The designation octagonal occurs due to the octagonal support
of the dome. The pillars arranged in pairs form four corner niches
(semicircles), which bridge the corners of the square of the base
and turn it into an octagon. The dome rests on it through eight
small spherical triangles formed between the arcs connecting the
eight pillars. The octagonal temples are divided into simple and
complex. In the first, the eight supports of the dome are integrated
in the walls (pilasters), leaving the interior of the temple
completely free. In the complex octagonal temples the supports of
the dome are located at some distance from the external walls. Thus,
smaller apartments are created around the central space. The complex
octagonal temples are cruciform inscribed with an enlarged space
under the dome. Unlike the simple octagons, the cross is clearly
marked both inside and outside the temple. The octagonal types
spread in Greece through Constantinople. The space under the dome is
open and open and in fact in Daphni, it is flooded by light that
diffuses from the sixteen single-pane windows of the dome.
Externally, the building rises pyramidically to the top of the dome.
It is built according to the brick-enclosed system. There are no
hollow decorative elements, while the simple vertical plinth is
often omitted. Pseudo-Kouf decoration has been found on the drums of
the south and west walls. In general, the ceramic decoration is
quite simple and consists mainly of serrated strips around the
arches of the windows. The sculptural decoration inside and outside
the church was limited but extremely well made. The lower part of
the walls was internally covered with marble slabs (orthomarbling).
Externally, under the window aprons, large structures form crosses.
On the west side of the church there was a narthex, where an
exonarthex was attached in the form of an open portico with a floor
during the 12th century. The abbot's apartments and the library must
have been there. Traces of 12th and 13th century frescoes have been
found in the exonarthex, while post-Byzantine frescoes (17th
century) have been found in the church.
The precinct
The monastery was protected by a strong square enclosure with a
side of about 97 meters. The precinct had a fortification character
and morphology, which is visible on the north side, where the wall
is preserved in very good condition. It was 8 meters high with a
perimeter 1.6 meters wide, ie an internal corridor that allowed
movement along the wall, at a height of 6 meters. The perimeter was
supported by a blind arc. The wall was covered along its entire
length by ramparts, while its course was interrupted at regular
intervals by towers of square plan. Three of them have survived to
this day and are located on the north side of the enclosure. In the
construction of the wall, cobblestones were used, cut into large
rectangular pieces 1.6 m long and 0.4-0.6 m high and connected with
mortar, while layers of bricks are often observed.
The main
gate of the Daphni monastery was located in the middle of the west
side of the precinct, opposite the entrance of the katholikon. It
was protected by a fortification tower, which rose above it and was
reinforced by two side bastions. Thus, in order to enter the
courtyard of the monastery, one had to go through the passageway,
vaulted corridor 6 m long, which opened under the tower. There was
also a smaller gate in the middle of the east side of the enclosure.
This is the entrance that is used today for the monastery. The
reason for the existence of the enclosure for the remote monasteries
was of course their fortification by invaders, while for the
monasteries within cities it was the protection of the monks from
the temptations of secular life. The fortification of Daphni
Monastery, which was built at a distance of 10 km from Athens, in a
verdant semi-mountainous area, but extremely busy with travelers,
merchants and peddlers, soldiers but also robbers and kidnappers,
seems to have served both purposes.
The monks' cells
The
cells where the monks rested were usually built attached to the
inner side of the enclosure, in order to save space but also to
strengthen its defensive character. It usually consisted of two
floors, but several times they even had four. The low cell doors
usually opened on covered arcades, solar panels or pistons. Inside,
the monastic cells had beds and small niches for the monks' clothes,
books, and personal belongings.
In the northern wall of the
monastery of Daphni, traces have been found that betray the
existence of cells: slots for the beams that supported the wooden
floor of the upper floor and niches for the personal belongings of
the monks. On the west side of the enclosure the cells were not
attached to the enclosure, but were located at a short distance from
it, resulting in a narrow corridor. To the south of the katholikon
there is a group of cells with arcades, which are built around a
small square courtyard. These were built by the Cistercian monks and
redesigned by the Orthodox in the 16th century.
The bank and
the kitchen
The benches are spacious rectangular rooms with
arched ends on one of the two narrow sides. There the monks sat at
long narrow tables or benches placed in parallel rows along the
walls, while the abbot ate at a separate table in the niche.
In Daphni this area is located in an elongated arched building 28.7
m long north of the katholikon. Its orientation was the same as that
of the catholic. The walls, which survived to a height of about 1.7
m., Were built in a manner and materials similar to those used in
the construction of the katholikon, a fact that places the
reconstruction of the bank in the 11th century.
The monks
entered the area through three double doors on its west side. The
east side was occupied by an arch, semicircular inside and
semi-hexagonal outside. The room was covered by an arched roof,
supported by supporting arches along the long sides. As long as
there was light, the room was lit by natural light coming in through
rows of windows that had opened on the long sides of the room, while
at night they lit lamps.
The circular building that has been
found attached to the north side of the bank was probably the
kitchen of the monastery. The monastic kitchens had a central hearth
with a grill for cooking and were housed by low domes with a central
chimney. On the walls were opened niches of various sizes and shapes
for the placement of various utensils.
The bathroom
The existence of a bath complex in a monastery was not a common
phenomenon for it when it existed it signified prosperity and
prosperity. Although the number of monastic baths that have survived
is quite limited, their architectural configuration, as well as the
technology of heating and circulation of water were similar to those
of the folk baths, which continued the Roman traditions. Thus, the
baths in the monasteries consisted of four rooms. The first was the
vestibule, where bathers left their clothes. This was followed by
the two sweating chambers, the lukewarm or lukewarm and the warm.
The bath was completed in the fourth room, where there were
pool-pools for swimming in hot or cold water. The water in the
thermon and the hot tank was heated by hot air, which was produced
by a fire burning under the floor, in the hypocaust, and was
diffused through built-in clay pipes. From the baths of Daphni only
the hypocausts have been saved, which were located in the southwest
of the katholikon. The anomaly is completely demolished. The
entrance to the area was from the west.
The cistern
A
rectangular underground tank with dimensions of 13.3x4.95 m has been
located in the southwest of the katholikon for the collection of
rainwater. It is located under the cells of the 16th century, has a
southeast-northwest orientation and is located at the junction
(misggeian) of two slopes. Its capacity has been estimated at 300
cubic meters, while its bottom is located at a depth of about 7 m
from the current floor of the courtyard to the south of the temple.
The interior was divided into two vaulted aisles that went into
three columns and the walls were covered with hydraulic mortar. The
water was collected through circular openings with marble cladding
at the top of the arches. A rectangular cleaning well had been
drilled at the lower point of the upper surface of the cistern.
The rectangular room
To the south of the katholikon are the
ruins of an oblong rectangular hall measuring 23x6.5 m. With
east-west orientation, typical mid-Byzantine masonry and a floor
paved with clay slabs. There were columns along the north and south
walls. The available data, however, do not allow the determination
of its use.
The cemetery church of Agios Nikolaos
The
ruined chapel of Agios Nikolaos has been located in the forest that
extends to the east of the precinct of the monastery of Dafni. It
was built at the same time as the katholikon and seems to have been
the cemetery church of the monastery. The cemeteries of the
monasteries were usually located outside the precinct for reasons of
hygiene. Agios Nikolaos is a small vaulted basilica built according
to the brick-enclosed masonry system. An underground crypt was found
under the church. There were built around a central corridor three
square ossuaries with arches (arcosolia) and covered with stone
slabs. The church of Agios Nikolaos survives today and is located 20
meters from the building of the Tourist Kiosk.
The mosaic
decoration of the monastery of Daphni
The monastery of Daphni is
considered one of the most important Byzantine monuments, due to the
brilliant mosaics that adorn the walls of its katholikon. Many of
them are preserved to this day, despite damage from both earthquakes
and work that caused many alterations. Archaeologists, with the help
of travelers' descriptions, have been able to restore the image that
the mosaic decoration of the katholikon of Daphni monastery had in
the last decades of the 11th century.
The dome
The dome
and the arch that dominate the vertical and the longitudinal axis of
the temple building symbolize the celestial sphere, while the lower
zones the earth. Thus, the dome is occupied by a representation of
Christ the Pantocrator and is surrounded by angelic powers and
prophets. The spherical triangles depict the four evangelists who
recorded the divine incarnation and acted as liaisons between the
earthly and celestial spheres. The realization of the incarnation,
ie various incidents and events from the earthly life of Christ
(Christological scenes), is placed in the immediately lower zone of
the temple, ie the arches, the drums of the cross antennas and the
upper parts of the walls. In the lower zone of the walls are
depicted the saints, who enjoy together with the faithful who have
come to the temple the view of the uncle.
The Pantocrator, "Righteous Judge", in the medal of the dome of
the catholic of the monastery of Daphni. The sternness and intensity
of the look is largely due to the strong arched eyebrows and the
dark shadows around the eyes. The relatively schematic and flat
rendering of the plastic values of the face, removes the form of
the Pantocrator from the classicist style in which all other forms
have been executed. The dark, dense beard intensifies the impression
of austerity. The great distance that separates the index finger
from the middle finger on the gospel adds intensity to the gesture,
which is in perfect agreement with the whole dynamism of the form.
Panagia-Platytera is placed in the arch of the sanctuary. The
Virgin Mary, the bearer of the divine incarnation, is bound for the
salvation of men and mediates as a link between the heavenly and the
earthly sphere, between God and men. In the semi-cylindrical part of
the arch we have topics related to the Divine Liturgy, usually
including the Society of the Apostles (transmission-communion) as
well as various Fathers of the Church. In the katholikon of the
monastery of Daphni, which is dedicated to the Assumption of the
Virgin Mary, the above standard is followed enriched with scenes
from the life of the Virgin Mary (Mariological scenes).
The
figures of sixteen standing prophets were placed on the drum of the
dome. Their calm postures are reminiscent of ancient philosophers
and orators. The classicist perception is particularly evident in
the embossing of some figures as well as in the contemplative
expression of their eyes. But some of the prophets depicted have
stern, intensely shaded eyes and faces reminiscent of the Almighty.
Today's placement of some forms is not the original.
The
Nativity in the southeastern half of the catholic of the monastery
of Daphni is characterized by intense classicism, which is evident
in the rendering of the landscape, in the serene and intensely
plastic faces of the depicted figures, in the calm folding of the
clothes and their harmonious movements. In the four hemispheres that
open under the drum of the dome, the Byzantine voters had depicted
the most important evangelical scenes before the Passion, namely the
Annunciation (northeast hemisphere), the Nativity (southeast
hemisphere), the Baptism (south) and the Baptism (south)
Metamorphosis (northwest hemisphere). All four performances survive
more or less in fragments. The first of these takes place in a
single golden plain (depth) without the slightest declaration of
landscape. The archangel Gabriel approaches the Virgin Mary with a
calm, harmonious movement, reminiscent of an ancient Greek
representation of Victory. His clothes - a white robe over a dark
blue tunic - are slightly folded and follow the movements of the
body. The Virgin Mary on the right is depicted frontally, standing
in front of a throne with her head slightly turned to the right. The
expression of both forms is polite and serene. The archangel's wings
and clothes of both figures are adorned in places with gold tiles.
The Nativity scene takes place in an almost idyllic landscape. The
rocky cave that hosts the Virgin Mary and the newborn Christ, with
golden highlights at the top of the star, is surrounded by low hills
with limited vegetation, while the lower right group of sheep drinks
water from a stream. The classicism that characterizes the rendering
of the landscape is in perfect harmony with the serene figures of
the Virgin and Joseph, as well as the four angels and the two
shepherds that fill the upper zone of the show. Here, too, the folds
are calm and follow the movement of the bodies, the movements are
harmonious and the shaping of the faces is characterized by intense
plasticity.
The figure of the Virgin Mary from the intensely classicist
representation of the Crucifixion, with her deep melancholy
expression and her gentle gesture. The harmonious physique and
posture of both the Virgin Mary and John (opposite) are reduced to
models of classical antiquity. At the center of the highly
symmetrical Baptism scene is the naked figure of Jesus, immersed to
the breast in the waters of the Jordan. The naked body, which can be
clearly seen in the light blue water of the river, has been created
with restraint through the use of tiny white and pink tiles. The
same goes for the face of Christ and the other forms of composition.
The correct proportions of the naked body as well as its slight
movement in a turn towards Prodromos on the left, are reminiscent of
a classic statue. This is one of the few Baptismal representations
where Christ is depicted completely naked. On the right are placed
two angels with their hands covered with ribbons (facades), in order
to wipe the body of Christ after the completion of the baptism. The
hand and foot shown on the lower right belong to a male elder
figure, the personification of the Jordan River. Finally, in the
scene of the Transfiguration we have Christ in elliptical blue and
white glory, framed by a wide strip of silver tiles, dominating in a
relaxed frontal posture of an ancient orator on Mount Tabor. With
his right hand he blesses, while on his left he holds a wrapped
scroll. Like the prophets in the dome drum, the figure draws its
patterns from the sculpture of classical times. Tabor is rendered as
a series of low hills at the bottom of the composition, where the
apostles Peter, John and James are found, kneeling and dazzled by
the divine radiance. To the left and right of Jesus are the related
prophets Elijah and Moses respectively. And here, despite the
intensely metaphysical nature of the scene, the movements of the
figures are characterized by grace, the ptology is harmonized with
the restrained movement of the bodies and the bodily volumes and
plastic values of the faces are rendered in a relief way.
In the small niches under the hemispheres, the prophet Aaron
(northeastern hemisphere, Evangelismos), Saint Gregory the
Akragantinos (southeastern hemisphere, Nativity), Saint Gregory the
miraculous (southwestern hemisphere) half moon, Metamorphosis). The
arch of the sanctuary is occupied by the Virgin Mary who has been
depicted enthroned and holding a baby. The figure is badly damaged,
as only its bottom is preserved. The Broader of Heaven is framed by
the imposing archangels Michael and Gabriel, who stand face to face
in the two side niches. They wear heavy, gold-plated clothes, step
on luxurious feet and their faces are serene and serious.
The
apocalyptic scene of the Preparation of the throne, which symbolizes
the Second Coming, was placed on the dome of the Holy Step.
Unfortunately, this show is almost completely ruined. On the fronts
of the walls that separate the sanctuary from the transgressions,
the Infant Virgin Mary (north wall) and Christ (south wall) were
depicted in full body. These two representations, which were
surrounded by shrines, are little preserved today.
The
deaconry, to the south of the Holy Step, is decorated with the
figures of Saints Eleftherios, Averkos, Lavrentios and Euplos, which
are arranged in pairs in the arches that frame the cross dome of the
roof. The latter is decorated with a Christogram. In the niche of
the deacon dominates the figure of Saint Nicholas. The whole
composition "treads" in golden depth. There is a similar
configuration on the roof of the prosthesis, where we meet the
saints Silvestro, Anthimos, Stefanos and Roufinos, while the niche
is occupied by Saint John the Forerunner. Saint Nicholas and John
the Forerunner are the most important after the Virgin Mary
mediating-connecting with the divine forms of the Christian Church.
The stern faces of Prodromos and Agios Nikolaos, with their piercing
gaze, arched eyebrows and dark shadows around the eyes, strongly
resemble the Pantocrator, as well as some of the prophetic figures
in the dome. These are the only examples in the entire mosaic
iconographic program of the catholic, which do not follow classicist
standards.
The studied confrontation of Christological and
Mariological scenes also characterizes the decoration of the inner
narthex. Thus, in the north we have scenes from the passion of
Christ: Holy Washbasin (badly damaged), Last Supper (very badly
damaged) and Betrayal of Judas. The southern part of the inner
narthex hosts scenes starring the Virgin Mary: the Prayer of St.
Anna with the Annunciation of Joachim, the Blessing of the Priests
and the Entrances of the Virgin.
The classicist austerity and the calm, restrained sadness of the
Crucifixion move the viewer even today. The Virgin Mary and John
stand on either side of the Crucified One, whose harmonious physique
reflects classic patterns. Their mental passion is expressed by
their deep melancholy expression and gentle gestures, which go back
to tomb sculptures of classical antiquity: the Virgin, on the left,
points to Christ with her right hand, while bringing the left under
her chin, holding a small scarf. John, on the right, tilts his head
towards Christ, although he turns his gaze in the opposite
direction, raising his right hand upwards. The clothes show a calm
ptychology. The forms are structured with very correct proportions,
while their embossed plasticity results from the soft color tones
and the avoidance of intense light shadows. At the Resurrection, the
triumphant Christ, all-bright, in a white-gold robe and tunic, moves
vigorously to the left holding the cross. Through a shrine to the
left, Adam and Eve emerge, while behind them are the righteous David
and Solomon in luxurious garments and golden crowns adorned with
pearls and precious stones. On the right we have Ioannis Prodromos
and a group of righteous people. Hades crashes at the feet of the
winner, defeated.
Mosaic style
Mosaic representations are
the result of long and painstaking work. The tiles were made, to be
precise, cut from a variety of materials, often expensive and rare
marble and various other stones with bright colors, tile and colored
glass mass. The fact that the Byzantine mosaics were far from the
floors and thus did not risk being worn by the feet of the faithful,
allowed the extensive use of glass tiles but also gold and silver,
which gave remarkable color richness and gloss to the decoration.
The gold and silver tiles were made as follows: on a layer of
specially processed glass they spread glue and then a very thin
sheet of gold or silver. This in turn was covered with a thin
protective layer of glass (glazing). After the construction and the
careful selection of the mosaics, followed the preparation of the
wall that would host the mosaic.
Initially, waterproofing was
done with the use of tar or resin, so that the luxurious performance
was protected from the moisture that the wall would draw. In order
to firmly connect the substrate of the mosaics to the wall,
especially in cases of domes, nails with wide heads were nailed at
intervals, which protruded from the wall and were inserted into the
first layer of plaster of the substrate. In total, they passed the
surface of the wall with three layers of plaster. The first was
quite thick, as it contained lime, sand, Theraic earth and crushed
tile. This mixture, known as hydraulic mortar or kurasani, was
extremely hard and highly resistant to moisture. A layer of thinner
and cleaner mortar followed, where the draft of the mosaic was made.
Sometimes the draft in very general terms was made directly on the
bare, asbestos wall, in order for the decoration to be effectively
organized in relation to the desired iconographic program and the
architectural layout of the spaces.
After the second layer of
coating, an even thinner mortar was spread, on which the patient
craftsmen inserted the tiles. This part of the job was particularly
demanding, as the innumerable tiles had to be placed on the
plastered wall with an uneven slope, so that they have different
behavior in the light, multiplying the brightness of the colorful
surface. The finest plaster was spread in sections, on surfaces so
limited as to allow voters to work while the coating was fresh
enough and the tiles stuck well. Thus, each working day began with
the application of the thinnest plaster on the surface that they
expected to be completed by the end of the day. In places where
exceptional attention and detail were required, such as the heads of
the figures, the method of indirect voting was used: the designs
were worked on linen cloth screens that were placed in the
appropriate position on the wall.
In contrast to the ancient
Greek and Roman mosaics, which were extensively smoothed after the
placement of the last mosaic, the surface of the Byzantine mosaics
remained completely raw. Thus, the reflectivity of the tiles placed
in different slopes was increased even more, giving extra brightness
to the final result.
The History of the Daphni Monastery over
the years
Crusades
At the end of 1204 Athens was occupied and looted, as
well as its surroundings, by the Franks. The Monastery of Daphni
could not be an exception, as it was also the subject of looting,
evidence of which are two stone arrowheads which were found nailed
in the center of the dome, at eye level and on the cheek of the
figure of the Pantocrator who adorned it. Attica was ceded as a fief
to the Burgundian nobleman Otto de la Ross, who ceded the Daphne
Monastery in 1207 to the Cistercian monks of the Abbey of Notre-Dame
de Bellevaux. The French monks rebuilt the exonarthex, erected a
defensive wall around the monastery, and proceeded with a series of
other changes. They remained in Daphne for two and a half centuries,
until it was occupied by the Turks of Mohammed II, when they were
expelled and the monastery was again ceded to the Orthodox.
Various documents and inscriptions show that during the Frankish
rule Daphni was known as the monastery of Delfino, Dauferins,
Dalphino, Dalphineto or Dalphinet and served as the burial place of
the dukes of Athens. The mausoleum of the dukes is believed to have
been located in a crypt located under the floor of the narthex of
the catholic. Two marble shrines found in the narthex during the
second half of the 19th century were considered to be related to de
la Roche, based on the coat of arms of the Burgundian family that
was recognized. Archaeological data, however, are not sufficient to
support such a thing.
The Cistercians made minimal changes
and additions to the premises. They kept the katholikon as it was
and around the end of the 13th or the beginning of the 14th century
they repaired the exonarthex, which had been damaged by earthquakes.
They turned the floor of the exonarthex into a military defense,
backed by ramparts, and built a group of cells to the south of the
katholikon, which were later rebuilt by the Orthodox.
Ottoman
rule
The Turks occupied Athens in June 1458 and the monastery of
Daphni was given to Orthodox monks, who repaired various parts of
it, mainly the cells. But pirate and predatory raids during the 16th
and 17th centuries were so frequent that many monks left Daphne and
probably took refuge in nearby monasteries. Nevertheless, it seems
that the monastery was significantly deserted in the early 19th
century, as sources about it are scarce.
The visit of Lord
Elgin
In the first years of the 19th century the monastery was
visited by Lord Elgin. The English traveler and archaeologist Edward
Dodwell (1767-1832), who passed through Daphni in the autumn of
1805, reports that there were some small Ionic columns with their
capitals. The columns were partially walled. Lord Elgin had removed
the columns, which are now in the British Museum.
The
detachment of the Ionian columns is reported by both the Frenchman
Francois Pouqueville and the German Ludwig Ross who visited the site
later, during the 1810s and 1830s respectively. These are three thin
Ionic columns that supported the arched openings of the facade of
the exonarthex of the monastery katholikon. Only one of the columns
of the exonarthex remains to this day in its original position, in
the southwest corner of the building. The original location of these
columns seems to have been in the sanctuary of Daphne Apollo, the
ancient ancestor of the Christian monastery of Daphne.
Revolution of 1821
The monastery of Daphni was conquered by the
Turks during the Revolution of 1821, despite its very strong
fortification. Tradition states that the invasion took place through
a shallow well that was located outside the enclosure and was
connected underground with three other wells inside the monastery.
This secret passage was revealed by the monk Paisios to the Turks,
who burned the Monastery and the traitor Paisios and the remains of
his corpse were thrown in a corner of the courtyard until 1854. The
exact date of the fall has not been ascertained. It is considered
more probable that it took place during the campaign of Omer Vryonis
in Attica in the summer of 1821 and not in the invasion of
Kioutachis in Athens in 1826, the important battles that took place
in Haidari in August 1826 and the smallest battle in Daphne on March
21. 1827. The conquerors of the monastery of Daphni abandoned it
having caused significant damage.
Later, the ruined monastery
probably functioned as a base for some chiefs, such as Ioannis
Gouras (1791-1827), whose letter seems to have been sent by Daphni.
After the revolution
After the revolution the monastery was
completely deserted. The last abbot was Agathangelos, from 1815 to
1830. During the period 1838-1839, Bavarian soldiers settled in the
area of Daphni, to control the passage to Athens, who turned the
monks' cells to the south of the katholikon into stables. Since 1840
the monastery seems deserted.
During the Anglo-French
occupation of Piraeus, a French battalion settled in the monastery,
to protect itself from the terrible cholera epidemic that had broken
out in the city. From them were done some cleaning works of the area
as well as archeological excavations in the area around and in Iera
Odos. When the French soldiers left Daphne, a small group of nuns
settled there.
During the period 1883-1885 the monastery of
Daphni was transformed into a psychiatric hospital. The monks' cells
were repaired and various auxiliary buildings were rebuilt in the
courtyard, which significantly burdened the monument. The
degradation of the monastery reached its peak in the year 1887, when
it was used as a sheepfold, which caused a general outcry. This,
combined with the damage from strong earthquakes in 1886, 1889 and
1894, prompted those responsible for taking action to save, preserve
and raise Daphni.
The promotion of the Monastery
A crucial
development for the preservation of the monument was the founding of
the Christian Archaeological Society in 1885 in Athens. A committee
consisting of Georgios Lampakis, architect Panagiotis Zezos and
Giorgos Vroutos assessed the situation, but their proposals were not
implemented. In November 1888, the General Ephorate of Antiquities
proceeded with a series of minor repairs, which according to
Lampakis were completely harmful. The most drastic of the
interventions was the removal of the Byzantine tiles that covered
the dome and the roof of the church and their replacement with
common, poor quality tiles. Repeated earthquakes caused other damage
to the monument, mainly cracks in many parts of the dome, while much
of the mosaic of the Pantocrator that adorned it fell.
Following a proposal from the Ministry of Education in 1890, a
committee of experts was set up, which proposed the demolition and
reconstruction of the dome drum and the fixing of the spherical
triangles, halves, domes and pillars that supported it. They also
recommended the correction of the dome mosaics without, however,
filling in the missing parts. The representations of the Pantocrator
and the sixteen prophets were partially removed from the drum of the
dome. The dome and some additions (bell tower and group of cells),
which had been added during the Turkish occupation, were demolished.
The original bricks, which had been removed, were used in the
reconstruction of the dome. At the base of the dome drum was placed
an iron crown of double cross section, which is still visible today,
so that the weight of the dome is transferred evenly throughout the
building.
The relocation of the mosaics to the dome and other
operations performed were considered arbitrary by the experts. In
1893, iron ties were placed on the narthex and other parts of the
main church that were dilapidated. Two more massive unsightly struts
were attached to the outside of the north antenna of the temple, but
offered support to the monument.
In September 1894 it was
decided that the dilapidated western wall of the narthex should be
demolished and restored and the subsequent additions removed, at the
expense of the Archaeological Society. During the years 1936-1939
the archaeologist Ioannis Travlos carried out a systematic
excavation at the monastery, to study the remains of the Sanctuary
of Daphne Apollo.
During the second half of the 1950s,
maintenance work was carried out on the church by the Restoration
Directorate of the Ministry of Culture, while in 1968 the west gate
of the monastery was cleaned.
In 1990 the monastery of Daphni
was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Thus, the
protection of the monument was ensured not only nationally but also
globally. The Directorate of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments,
the Directorate of Preservation of Antiquities, the Directorate of
Restoration of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments and the 1st
Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities, where the monastery of Daphni
belongs, have prepared a long-term and comprehensive plan. At the
same time, its utilization for didactic purposes was promoted
through the organization of educational programs for students.
The strong earthquake of 1999 created large cracks in the walls of the Monastery. The archeological site was closed to the public, as systematic work is being carried out. The support of the katholikon of the monastery of Daphni was the primary concern. At present the church is supported by metal supports of modern design and technology almost in its entire height internally and externally. At the same time, studies are being carried out that will allow the final removal of the metal pillars and the architectural restoration and promotion of the monument. Inside the church, the mosaic decoration is being maintained, while a study has been planned through excavations in various parts of the monastery, the creation of a museum, the restoration and promotion of buildings around the katholikon and the landscaping and protection of the surrounding area.