Restoration of Daphni Monastery

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Attica on September 7, 1999, becoming one of the most devastating in the region’s modern history. The earthquake caused major damage, but it was not until several days later that its severity was understood at the Daphni Monastery, a Byzantine monastery listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its unique mosaics.

The 1999 earthquake could well have been the last one the monastery would see. The church opened up like a flower, walls were coming apart, and the cracked dome seemed as if it could collapse at any minute. The church’s mosaics, dating back to the 11th century, were severely damaged.

Byzantine temples decorated with mosaics are few and far between, but the Daphni Monastery stands out even among the few still existing.

The cross-in-square church was built and decorated with mosaics in the 11th century. Researchers have no doubt that only the emperor of Constantinople could afford to build such a massive shrine.

The light-reflecting mosaics, which depict airy, floating figures on a golden background, are among the finest and most beautiful examples of Byzantine art.

Graceful figures, true-to-life faces, delicate transitions, and the most refined combinations of color only serve to complement the strict narrative structure. One gets the impression that the author was trying to capture a single fleeting moment.

Greek restorers have developed a method of injection to help reinforce the underlying plaster without dismantling the mosaics.

Some of the mosaics are currently laced with a mesh of small plastic tubes that inject a special mixture into the underlying plaster. The mixture fills cavities and helps support the mosaics.

Mosaics are made with pieces of marble and other stones. The world-renowned golden background is made of thin gold plates melted between two layers of glass.

Alongside the injections for the plaster, some of the mosaics themselves are being restored. For example, a gaping crack that separated the Archangel Gabriel from the Virgin Mary in the mosaic of the Annunciation has been repaired. The final stage of restoration for many mosaics will be cleaning.

Currently, the church is only open to visitors for a few hours a day. Those lucky enough to get inside are also allowed to climb up the scaffolding and look as closely at the mosaics as their creators did.

Byzantine frescos in the Daphni Monastery.