Byzantine Church Metamorfosi tou Sotiros

Transfiguration of the Saviour Church

The ruined Byzantine church of the Metamorfosis tou Sotiros is located near the village of Metamorfosi of Kastoria, in the northern lakeside zone of Kastoria, about 10 km from the city. It is a three-nave, one-room runic church with a dome, located at the top of a small hill. Later, traces of foundations of cells and other structures were found around the church, which lead to the conclusion that a monastery operated at this location, but it has not been scientifically identified to date. An attempt to reconstruct the monument was made by Professor N. Moutsopoulos.
The materials and the method of construction of the monument, the complete lack of ceramic decoration and the purely stone-built masonry, place chronologically, the temple in the second half of the 8^th or the first half of the 9^th century. This monument is one of the oldest Byzantine monuments of Kastoria and is of great interest for the archaic elements it displays. Together with the Panagia Koumbelidiki, they are the only cross-shaped temples in the region, which follow the most ancient type of triconch (three-niche). In this type, the inscribed cross is formed by niches, which are opened on the three walls of the church. The church has been declared a historical monument since 1961.