Monastery of Hosios Loukas

About the museum

The monastery was founded on the slopes of Helicon, below the ancient acropolis of Steiri, at the place where the ascetic Hosios Loukas (896–953) spent the last years of his life. His reputation as a healer and prophet made the site an early place of pilgrimage, and his tomb in the crypt became the centre of veneration.

The complex that survives today dates to the 10th and early 11th centuries. The Church of the Virgin was built on the model of the imperial capital, while the larger katholikon, with an octagonal plan, housed the saint’s relics and became a model for many later churches. The interior is dominated by polychrome marbles on the floors and walls and by the glittering mosaics of the upper surfaces, among the most important ensembles of their kind.

The site also has cells, a refectory, an archontariki (guest hall), a bell tower, towers, storerooms, an olive press and cisterns. During the years of Ottoman rule the monastery served as a refuge and base for fighters, and it marked the beginning of the 1821 Revolution in Roumeli. A Sculpture Collection is also housed in the monastery.

Highlights

• Mosaics and polychrome marble of the katholikon
• Crypt with the original tomb of Hosios Loukas
• Church of the Virgin and katholikon
• UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Sculpture Collection

Permanent exhibition

• Μοναστηριακό συγκρότημα και Συλλογή Γλυπτών – Visit to the katholikon, the Church of the Virgin, the crypt and the auxiliary spaces of the monastery, as well as the Sculpture Collection.

Operated by

Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού – Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Βοιωτίας

Admission & discounts

Free admission: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October and every first and third Sunday of the month from 1 November to 31 March.

The ticket is valid for the monastery complex.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The monastery is about two hours by car from Athens.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Café/restaurant, shop, WC and car park on site.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.