Monastery of Metamorphosis of Sotiros Palaiokarya

On the green slope of the mountain range of Antichasia, on the road that leads from Elassona to Grevena, south of Krania, is one of the most important monasteries of the area, the Monastery of Metamorphosis of Sotiros (Transfiguration of Christ), which is known as the Monastery of Palaiokarya.

It was founded in the beginning of the 17th century, possibly just before 1630, and is known that it was reconstructed fro, scratch in 1792. It had significant property but it started to decline in around the middle of the 19th century and in 1928 it was dissolved and was merged with the Monastery of Olympiotissa of Elassona.

From the initial complex today survive the catholicon and the impressive tower that was part of the fortification of the monastery. The church was built in 1806 on the location of an older one, and is characteristic that the same construction material has been used. It is a cross-in0-square church with a narthex and a dome, that is supported on four columns, while it belongs to the Athonite type, that is it also has conches on the side walls. Its construction followed the so-called imperfect cloisonné system, with greatly carved stones and better carved limestones on the corners, but today it has been altered by later interventions. At its interior a few wall paintings survive, since the icons of the church started in 1828 but it was not completed, and was limited to the altar area, while at the rest of the areas only the preparation of the figures has been carried out. The screen is wooden-carved and has seen various alterations; however it includes an inscription that mentions as the year of construction 1626, in other words it comes from the first church. The tower, which rises on the northeastern corner, was built in 1801 and housed the abbot’s quarters and a semi-basement storage area. It had three stories, with wooden stairs in its interior that do not survive today, its roof was vaulted, covered with slabs, and there were loopholes at its walls. Furthermore, from the old complex also survives the sacred spring.