Greece › Athens › Things to Do › Agios Eleutherios
By Santorini Dave
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Formally the Church of Agios Eleutherios (Saint Elefterios) or Panagia Gorgoepikoos, the “Little Metropolis” is a small Byzantine-era church located at the Mitropoleos Square in Monastiraki, right next to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens.
The church is built on top of the ruins of ancient temple dedicated to the goddess of childbirth and midwifery, Eileithyia, and the structure is almost entirely built of recycled stones and pieces of decorative sculptures from previous monuments. Suggested dates of the church’s construction range from the 9th century to the 13th century. Suffice to say, it’s very old.
Originally, the interior of the church was decorated entirely with frescoes. Sadly, only one of these survives today; an image of the Panagia (Mary, mother of Jesus) over the entrance.
Agios Eleutherios Hours and Information
- Hours: 10am to 5pm daily.
- Website: iaath.gr
- Location: Mitroploeos Square
- Telephone: +30 21 0322 1308
- Admission Fee: Free entry; donations are accepted.
- Parking: Street parking, nearby pay lots.
- Nearest Metro: Syntagma, Monastiraki.
- Note: modest dress is required in Greek Orthodox churches and monasteries, which means avoiding exposed knees and shoulders for both women and men. If you’re wearing shorts, a short skirt, or a tank top, covering up with a wrap before entering is appropriate and appreciated.
Agios Eleutherios Church in Athens
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About Santorini Dave
I'm Santorini Dave. I started this site in 2011 with a short article on tips for visiting Santorini with kids. We're now a small team of writers and researchers dedicated to providing the best travel content on the internet. We focus on Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece, offering recommendations for top hotels, neighborhoods, and family-friendly hotels worldwide. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.