Lips Monastery

The katholikon of the monastery consists of two churches, the northern and the southern one – respectively five- and three-aisled – being cross-in-square structures. The Church of the Mother of God, the more ancient of the two, is considered by Theodore Macridy “a rare and splendid example of Byzantine architecture”. “The length of the nave is 14.50m., its width 9.50m. To the latter figure should be added the width of the two outside aisles, of which the northern one has been destroyed, although its foundations were found in the course of archaeological excavations. The narthex, which has three doors corresponding to those of the nave, is 9.50m. long and 3.20m. wide. On either end of it was a square, tower-like structure communicating with the narthex. These structures had doors facing east and west, the former leading into the interior of the church, the latter leading out. Within these structures (the northern one is no longer in existence) were wooden staircases leading up to the roof. The interior height of the church from the floor to the base of the dome is 11.50 m” (Macridy, 1964: 258).

The stonework of the walls is the same below the tenth-century level as it is up to a height of 60 cm. above that level. Next comes a band consisting of five courses of brick, and above that is another band of stone. This system of construction, namely alternating bands of brick and stone, was introduced before the sixth century and continued to be used in the succeeding period. In any case, the lower part of the walls up to a height of 2 m. belongs to a building older than the tenth century. During his studies Macridy was able to ascertain that the architect of Konstantinos Lips retained the plan of the previous church and a large part of its structure which he adapter in some respect. However, in order to differentiate the original parts of the building from those of the tenth century further studies have to be done (Macridy, 1964: 261).

Furthermore, it appears that the tenth-century architect was not content to reuse the walls of the older church, but did the same also with its carved interior ornaments (Macridy, 1964: 261). Four capitals, characteristic of the sixth century, surmount the pilasters corresponding to the four free-standing columns. According to Macridy, the architect of the tenth century took this decorative material from the sixth-century church. (Macridy, 1964: 259). Under the Turkish floor of the northern church, many beautiful carved fragments of the sixth century which must have come from the same church (among these: four draped torsos executed in a classicizing technique, and two heads). Several fragments of eagles carved in high relief. Fragment of the archivolt with representations of the apostles, originally from a rectangular tympanum (Macridy, 1964: 262).

Of particular interest is the roof of the church upon which were built four independent chapels in the four corners formed by the cruciform space in the center. The floor of the chapels and of the connecting passages is supported by the vaulting of the lateral aisles. The intervening spaces in the roof were filled with inverted water-jars, so as to decrease its weight. Originally, the roof was reached by means of wooden staircases placed in the projecting structures on either side of the narthex. Today it can be reached only through the base of the  minaret (Macridy, 1964: 260).

The church of St. John the Forerunner has different system of construction from the austere symmetry of the northern church: for example, the main entrance is noticeably off axis. Everything shows great haste in the completion of the building which was intended as the last dwelling-place of Theodora and members of her family. The parts of the building erected by Theodora are shown cross-hatched on the ground plan. The narthex includes on the left the staircase well of the north church. In its floor may be seen the bases of four columns which supported a ciborium. The right-hand part of the narthex was used as a place of burial; it is covered with a dome which originally had a tall drum lit by eight windows. The present low dome is Turkish. The carved marble cornice at the base of this dome is fairly well preserved (Macridy, 1964: 265).

The north church is small in size (13 m x 9,5m) and has a rather unusual plan (cross-in-square in a pentagonal form). The masonry follows the typical byzantine type of the 10th century, where stripes of brick followed alternatively by stripes of stone blocks. The most unique feature of the north church is that it has four chapels in all four sides of the dome.

The north church has three apses, the middle of which is polygonal. It has also two long chapels with a low apse. The original decoration of the church included coloured tiles, mosaics  and marble panels of which only few spolia have survived (see also gallery of images).

The south church was added in the  late Byzantine period and has a square form. It includes a dome, two deambulatoria, an esonarthex and a chapel (added later). The spatial additions around the dome played the role of a funeral space for the deceased members of the founder’s family. This testify also the sarcophagi found during excavations in the building.

The masonry is composed of rows of alternated courses of bricks and stone while the bricks form various decorative patterns.