Monastery of Hosios Loukas
Μονή Οσίου Λουκά
An 11th-century Byzantine monastery and a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside Daphni and Nea Moni. Its gold-ground mosaics mark the peak of middle Byzantine art.
The monastery stands on the slopes of Mount Helicon about 35 km southeast of Delphi. It was built to honor the 10th-century hermit St Luke. The interior of the main church, the Katholikon, retains excellent gold-ground mosaics and colored marble. The adjoining Church of the Theotokos is older, and the underground crypt contains frescoes and the relics of St Luke. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1990. Tickets cost about €10 (half price in winter), and the site is generally open from about 08:00 to 17:00. Visitors must wear clothing that covers the knees and shoulders. It can be combined with the Distomo Memorial, and the drive takes about 40 minutes.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–17:00 (extended hours in summer)
Nearby sights
- Distomo Massacre Mausoleum
- Arachova
- Mount Parnassus
- Parnassos Ski Centre
- Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia (Tholos)
- Corycian Cave
- Castalian Spring
- Archaeological Site of Delphi (Sanctuary of Apollo)