Makrygialos. Kitros.
Makrygialos. Kitros.
MACEDONIA
137
112. Thesaaloniki, Metamorphosis (Θεσσαλονίκη, Μεταμόρφωση του
Σωτήρα)
112. Thessaloniki, Prophet Elias (Θεσσαλονίκη, Προφήτης Ηλίας)
ration on the prothesis and the diaconicon. At the same pe-
riod, Patriarch Nephon of Constantinople founded the Panagia
Gorgoepikoos monastery. The catholicon (Aghioi Apostoloi),
a complex cross-in-square church with lite and ambulatory, is
decorated with wall mosaics on the upper sections of the main
church, and with wall-paintings on the remaining surfaces. The
church of Saint Catherine is another work of same age, a com-
plex cross-in-square structure with a seven-sided dome and the
catholicon of an unidentified monastery possibly dedicated to
Christ, as attested by surviving parts of painted decoration. Of
a subsequent period is the catholicon of the Taxiarchs in the
Upper Town, an aisleless basilica with five-sided apse, ambula-
tory and crypt, serving as a cemetery for the monks. The wall-
paintings of the church date from the second half of the 14th c.
The establishment of a small funerary church on Egnatia Street,
a cross-in-square tetraconch church with a later dome, dates to
the mid-14th c. The renovation of the painted decoration of the
athonite, triconch church of Prophet Elias, catholicon of a large
Mid-Byzantine monastery dedicated to Christ, dates to the third
quarter of the 14th c. The wall-paintings surviving in the lite date
from the decade 1360-70, while the painting of the two chapels
is considered to be of a subsequent period (late 14th c.). The
foundation of Vlatadon monastery close to the citadel, whose
catholicon was erected above an earlier church by brothers
Dorotheos and Markos Vlates, dates from the second half of
the 14th c. In its original form, this catholicon was a small cross-
in-square church with dome, not supported by columns but by
piers joined to the earlier church, and was surrounded by an
ambulatory. The painted decoration includes representation of
Metropolitan Gregory Palamas of Thessaloniki and dates from
1360-80.
113.
Makrygialos. Kitros
.
In Makrygialos, at the site of ancient Pydna, 1 km S of the vil-
lage on the road to Alykes, the remnants of a Mid-Byzantine
episcopal complex and the Byzantine fortress of Kitros have
been found. The complex was built in the 10th c., but beneath
its annexes part of the N stelobate, the apse and the narthex
of an Early Christian basilica (6th c.) have been discovered,
as well as part of the apse of an even earlier basilica (4th c.).
Inside the bema of the Mid-Byzantine church burnt down by
the Franks, remains of the tower of Wirich von Daum, Lom-
bard ruler of Kitros, are preserved, featuring a well on the
ground floor. On the N wall of the church an underground
gate has been found, as well as a cistern, auxiliary spaces,
