Hagia Sophia, Koutiphari
| Department | Archive |
|---|---|
| Collection | Byzantine Research Fund |
| Reference No. | BRF/02/01/14/061 |
| Level | Item |
| Place |
Mani |
| Dates | 1909? |
| Donor/Creator |
Traquair, Mr Ramsay |
| Scope and Content | West façade (the belfry). The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back. |
| Further information | The area in the middle of the Peloponnese, on the Laconia/Messenia border, was known as early as the 10th c. as the ‘Mani’. It was occupied by the Slavs in the early Medieval period and was christianised in the 10th c. by Hosios Nikon. There are scores of Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches in the Mani: the first major phase of building activity in the region seems to run from the late 10th to the later 12th c. The church of Hagia Sophia at Koutiphari is a long cell with the entire half completely modern. The western part consists of two bays covered by drumless domes. It has two small doors on the west and the south side. Brick dentil and string-courses decorate the exterior. An undated dedicatory inscription identifies Sampates, the son of Leo, as the founder. The belfry on the west side is of brick and stone with brickwork ornaments. The few fragments of brickwork seem to indicate a date in the 13th c. |