“A thousand years of stories” murmured the old woman. This is the Little Metropolis. This unassuming church stands proudly in the heart of Athens. Its history is a tapestry woven from threads of antiquity and faith.
Built upon the remnants of a temple dedicated to Eileithyia the church’s origins are shrouded in mystery. Scholars have proposed various construction dates ranging from the 9th to the 13th century. Some believe it was erected during the era of Michael Choniates Metropolitan of Athens. However a closer look reveals a unique secret.
The Little Metropolis is almost entirely constructed from spolia. These are reused materials from older buildings. The stones range from Classical Antiquity to the 12th or 13th centuries. This remarkable fact pushes the construction date much later than initially thought. A visit by Cyriacus of Ancona in 1436 adds another fascinating piece to the puzzle. He noted inscriptions from the church’s spolia located in the Ancient Agora. This suggests that the Little Metropolis was built after 1436 perhaps even during the early Ottoman era.
Initially dedicated to Panagia Gorgoepikoos after a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary the church gained its current name due to its location. It stood within the boundaries of the Metropolitan of Athens’ residence. Following the Greek War of Independence it served as Athens’ public library from 1841 to 1863. After its rededication it was named first to Christ the Saviour and then to Saint Eleutherios. Restoration work in 1856 returned the church to its original state. More recent additions such as the bell tower were removed.
The Little Metropolis boasts a classic Byzantine cross-in-square layout. It has a three-aisled nave with a central aisle taller than the others. The octagonal dome was initially supported by four columns now replaced by piers. It is a small structure only 7.6 meters long and 12.2 meters wide. Its walls are a unique mosaic of reused marble. Ninety sculptures adorn the upper sections of the walls. This is unlike any other Byzantine church. Bricks were only used for the dome.
The church’s interior once shone with frescoes. Sadly only one survives today an image of the Panagia above the entrance apse.
In recent times the Little Metropolis has witnessed significant events. Most notably it served as the location for the lying-in-state of Constantine II of Greece in 2023. Thousands came to pay their respects to the last King of the Hellenes. This small church continues to stand as a testament to faith history and the enduring spirit of Athens. Its story continues to unfold a silent observer of centuries of change.