GREECE PELOPONNESE ARCADIA DOLIANA LOUKOU

Just a few kilometers from Astros on the road to Tripoli lies the Loukou monastery, now a convent of (mostly) very friendly nuns. On the other side of the road is the "Villa of Herodes Atticus".

The katholikon of the very well-kept monastery is dedicated to the Metamorphosis (Transfiguration) of Christ and belongs to the composite four columned, cross-in-square type. It was built in the 12th / 13th century on the site of an Early Christian church of the 5th century (the fundaments of its side chapels have remained, but I did not detect them). The facade includes "cloisonne", decorative brick ornaments and immured ceramic bowls that remind me of those at Agia Triada, built at about the same time, but the ones here are much better preserved.

Integrated into the façade of the katholikon are also ancient marble spolia, surely taken from the "Villa of Herodes Atticus".

The floor of the church is beautifully paved with coloured marble slabs and there are fine wall paintings of the 17th century, but photographing is prohibited in the church - at least if the reverend mother is there.