ÉGLISES BYZANTINES DE NAXOS

The island of Naxos is home to a dozen small Byzantine churches of inestimable historical value, dating from before the arrival of the Venetians (1207). Four of these are particularly worth a visit. If they are closed, ask around to see if anyone has a key.

Aghios Mamas (Άγιος Μάμας). 5.7 kilometers southeast of Chora on the Sangri road, after the village of Galanado, on the second hairpin bend, leave the main road by turning left. This ^9th-century church was the cathedral of Naxos, before being converted into a Catholic church with the arrival of the Venetians in 1207. Currently under restoration, it contains some beautiful frescoes. It is closed to the public, but the site offers beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.

Aghios Nikolaos (Άγιος Νικόλαος). 11 kilometers southeast of Chora, 400 meters south of Sangri. This very simple church probably dates from the ^10th century. Its walls are covered with frescoes from the Venetian period, but some decorative elements from the ^11th and ^12th centuries survive.

Panaghia Drossiani (Παναγία Δροσιανή). 16 kilometers from Chora, right in the center of the island, just south of the village of Moni. The Church of Our Lady of the Rose is the oldest on the island and one of the oldest in Greece, dating back to the^5th or ^7th century. Modest in size (19.4 x 8 meters), it belonged to an important monastery. According to legend, its strange name derives from the fact that its walls start spouting water when the village of Moni is in danger. Surmounted by a more recent facade, it stands out for its round shapes and three domed roofs. Inside, the fresco depicting the Virgin Mary, damaged by humidity, survived the two iconoclastic crises that shook the Byzantine Empire in the ^8th and ^9th centuries. Also noteworthy is the wooden iconostasis behind the more recent marble one. The church is usually open to visitors during the day, with a stand selling candles and postcards.

Panaghia Protothronos (Παναγία Πρωτόθρονος). In Kato Potamia, 9 kilometers from Chora. Notre-Dame-devant-le-Trône gives nothing away with its banal exterior. It was remodeled by the Venetians and whitewashed. It is one of the island's oldest churches, with frescoes dating from the ^9th to the ^13th centuries. It is usually open in the morning, as is the small adjoining Byzantine museum.