DESCRIPTION
INFORMATION
PHOTOGALLERY
 
 
© Ministry of Culture and Sports, © 11th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities
East and south sides
The historical monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin is located to the northeast entrance of the village Spilaio.The katholikon and a part of the ground floor of the cells in the north side are preserved. It is dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin and it was built in 1633 according to the donor's inscription, when Gabriel from Milia Metsovou was bishop. It belongs to the athonite type of triconch cross-in-square with a dome and a narthex which is seperated in three parts.



The masonry is carefully built and combines the byzantine tradition with the local one of Epirus and Pindos. Between the rectangular stones there are zones of bricks which form shallow conches. An exonarthex is added in 1910. in the northwest corner of the narthex, a three-storey bell-tower was built.



According to the donor's inscriptions, the central part of the nave with the dome and the two conches were painted in 1650 by the painters Nikolao and Ioanni, while the rest nave and the narthex in 1658 by the painter Michalis from Zerma and Ilias from Eptachori.The exonarthex was depicted by the painter Georgio Piteni from Samarinain 1911. The temple is gilded, in relief, with painted decoration and it was made in the 17th century.
Author
Agathoniki Tsilipakou, archaeologist
Tsiapali Maria, archaeologist