St Nikolaos

In front of us stands the Cathedral of St. Nikolaos, an Orthodox church. It was established in 1897, a decade after the previous church was destroyed by an earthquake, and was inaugurated in 1906. The cathedral is designed as a three-aisled basilica. The right aisle is dedicated to Saint Eleftherios, while the left aisle honors Saint Andreas. Covering an area of 1000 square meters, the church has endured significant damage from earthquakes over the years and underwent its most recent restoration in 2017.

Opposite the entrance, there is a striking mosaic of 'Platytera ton Ouranon' or 'More spacious than the Heavens.' This poetic depiction signifies the belief that Mary, as the mother of Christ, carried the creator of the universe in her womb. Following Orthodox tradition, the mosaic is positioned on the half dome above the altar, where the floor and ceiling meet, symbolizing the union of heaven and earth through Mary.

The presence of a two-storied matroneum, internal galleries above the vestibule, is rare in the Greek region. It adds to the unique architectural features of the church.

In front of the church, you will find the busts of two bishops. On the right side is the bust of Bishop Filaretos, who served as the bishop of the region during the final years of Ottoman rule. In the tumultuous period leading up to the Greek revolution, the Ottoman commander of the Peloponnese invited influential bishops and dignitaries, including Bishop Filaretos, to his headquarters in Tripoli. After the revolution began, these bishops and dignitaries were imprisoned in an underground jail under inhumane conditions for six months until the city of Tripoli was besieged and liberated by Theodoros Kolokotronis. Sadly, only a few of the prisoners survived the hardships and typhus. Bishop Filaretos was among the survivors but passed away just one day after his liberation.

On the left side stands the bust of Bishop Athanasios, who distinguished himself through his charitable work, particularly during the 1970s.