Athens Agia Marina Church

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Location: Thissio

The impressive Church of Agia Marina is located right next to the National Observatory and beneath Pnyx Hill, overlooking the area of Thissio and offering a lovely view of the city of Athens.
The church was built upon the location of an earlier temple of the 19th century.

The construction of the temple was undertaken by the Greek architect Achilleas Georgiadis. The foundations were laid in 1922, the building process began in 1924, and the construction was finally completed in 1927.

Agia Marina is a four-aisled basilica with an impressive dome and an elegant Byzantine architectural style. Regarding the interior, it includes mostly frescoes by the renowned painters Graikos and Kandris that were completed during the 1930s and have distinctive references to the Art Nouveau movement of the era. Visitors are also impressed by the skillfully crafted wooden temple, designed by Georgios Nomikos.

The present building also has a cave-built smaller temple that was dedicated to Saint Marina and is located on the south-eastern side. Evidence shows that this church was originally built in the 11th century, and mostly contains murals that date back to the 17th century.
Although they are not in particularly good condition, we know that they depict the Birth of Christ, the Nativity and Baptism, the Crucifixion and Transfiguration and Pentecost.

The location of Saint Marina is considered to be of rather special significance, as it is associated with older, traditional practices regarding safe pregnancy and labor. In fact, women would visit the church and slide on the small cliff that was situated adjacent to it, in order to ensure painless birth and the wellbeing of the upcoming baby.

As the church is dedicated to Saint Marina, it is celebrated on July 17th.

How to get there

There are many ways to reach the Church of Agia Marina from any location in Athens.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus, or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from the port, airport, or your hotel. Alternatively, there’s the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: (0030) 18288, (0030) 18222, (0030) 18180. You can also book your taxi online.

On foot: As the Church of Agia Marina is located in a central area of Athens, it can be easily reached on foot from Monastiraki Square in approximately 12 minutes.

By metro: The closest metro station is Thissio (Green Line). Note that the Church of Agia Marina is located within a 6-minute walking distance from the metro. Get a map of the metro here.

By bus/trolleybus: The closest bus stop is "Nileos" (Bus line 227). Note that the Church of Agia Marina is located within a 5-minute walking distance from the bus stop. Check the routes and the official timetables on OASA Telematics.

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