Holy Cross Monastery of Doliano

The Holy Monastery of the Holy Cross of Doliano Krania is one of the most remarkable post-Byzantine monuments of the 18th century. The eponymous church, the only building that survives today, with its original and imposing architecture and rich decoration, finds the place it deserves nestled in a green forest covered with fir trees in one of the most beautiful and imposing mountainous areas of our country , Aspropotamos. The edifice of the Holy Church of the Holy Cross is characterized by its peculiar architecture, innovative applications and construction originality. It consists of the multi-domed and multi-niche main church and the renovated narthex. The main church follows the plan of the three-aisled basilica with three semicircular arches on the eastern side and three arches, on each long side, of which the middle ones are choir stalls. The temple is covered with a roof of slate slabs above which rise 12 cupolas and cupolas. In the interior of the Sacred Step, a synthron and an episcopal throne are formed. Inside the temple there is no iconography. In fact, it doesn't even have coatings and in this way the special physiognomy of its stone structure, which dominates with majesty, stands out even more. The element that dominates and impresses the outside of the temple is its many domes, which are more on the outside than those visible on the inside. That is, some of them have a purely decorative character and are additionally built on the roof of the building. Another main feature of the Holy Church of the Holy Cross is the rich plastic decoration, as well as the remarkable folk style reliefs that adorn the exterior of the church.