Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Hydra
by Marcy Wielfaert
Title
Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Hydra
Artist
Marcy Wielfaert
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
A nun from Kythos is said to have arrived on Hydra in 1643 and funded and built a church on this site dedicated to Saint Charalambos. She also built a few cloister cells for nuns. After these nuns died, monks took over the premises. The original structure was destroyed by fire in 1774 and rebuilt by Venetian architects. At this point the edifice was renamed and dedicated to the assumption of the Mother of God. The premises ceased being a monastery in 1833 and now functions as a Greek Orthodox Church. A beautiful example of Byzantine architecture, the interior is filled with 18th century frescoes, relics, and icons. I especially loved the outer courtyard, entered through a small arched doorway from the street along the harbor and opening up into this beautiful, light filled space full of wonderful arches and pillars. The door in the center of this image is where you actually enter the church itself, which was surprising small compared to the spacious courtyard. Having never been in a Greek church until this time, I found it very interesting to visit this historical site on the small Greek island of Hydra.
Uploaded
May 21st, 2020
Embed
Share
Comments
There are no comments for Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Hydra. Click here to post the first comment.