Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum

The Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum is housed in a beautiful villa with an underground wing and lovely gardens too.

Athens Byzantine and Christian MuseumAthens Byzantine and Christian Museum
Photo: Joy of Museums

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Another of Athens' specialist collections, this is partly housed in an 1840s villa with its own courtyard, filled with flowers and orange trees. The villa was home to the Duchesse de Plaisance, a French widow who had been married to one of Napoleon's generals and who fell in love with Greece and created this Florentine villa in what was then the outskirts of Athens.

Athens Byzantine and Christian MuseumAthens Byzantine and Christian Museum
Photo: Marsyas

The Underground Wing

Although the collection was originally mainly of interest to the connoisseur, it was brought to stunning new life by the building of a large underground wing which opened in 2007. Although underground, this new set of galleries are bright and spacious, with an open-plan look.

The first room in the new gallery outlines the story of the Byzantine Empire, and then armed with this overview visitors can make their way through the various display areas, starting with Christian Art and ending an engrossing hour or so later with the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.

Musical Eros painting in the Athens Byzantine and Christian MuseumMusical Eros by Defterevon Sifnios

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Byzantine Art

There is certainly no lack of information, and you can spend as much time reading the display boards, which are in Greek and in English, as looking at the objects themselves. These include numerous icons, naturally, but also many other forms of Byzantine art such as sculptures, frescoes, jewellery, ceramics, manuscripts and embroideries.

Athens Byzantine and Christian MuseumPhoto: George E. Koronaios

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Visiting the Athens Byzantine and Christian Museum

There are audio tours in several languages, and some displays for blind people to touch and experience. There are also temporary exhibitions to enjoy, and allow time to appreciate the gardens, too. What used to be a museum only for the specialist now rightly appeals to everyone.

http://www.byzantinemuseum.gr/

Where to Stay in Athens

Other Athens pages

  • The Athens Museum of Cycladic Art houses a remarkable collection of Cycladic figurines and other items and is one of the best museums in Athens.

    Athens Museum of Cycladic Art

    The Athens Museum of Cycladic Art houses a remarkable collection of Cycladic figurines and other items and is one of the best museums in Athens.

  • Athens Food Tours are being introduced by new company The Greek Fork, and will include tours of the Central Market, and the best street food.

    Athens Food Tours

    Athens Food Tours are being introduced by new company The Greek Fork, and will include tours of the Central Market, and the best street food.

  • Greece Travel Secrets gives its choice of the best hotels in Athens from budget and moderate options through to 5-star luxury choices.

    The Best Hotels in Athens

    Greece Travel Secrets gives its choice of the best hotels in Athens from budget and moderate options through to 5-star luxury choices.

  • Amusing children in Athens is easy as there is lots to do including a children’s museum, planetarium, beaches, and easy excursions to the nearest islands.

    Amusing Children in Athens

    Amusing children in Athens is easy as there is lots to do including a children’s museum, planetarium, beaches, and easy excursions to the nearest islands.

  • This Athens dining guide doesn't list restaurants but gives practical advice on types of eating places, tipping, hotel breakfasts and picnics.

    Athens Dining Guide

    This Athens dining guide doesn't list restaurants but gives practical advice on types of eating places, tipping, hotel breakfasts and picnics.

  • The beach resorts of Athens are easily reached from the city and also close are Cape Sounion with the Temple of Poseidon, ancient Marathon and Rafina's port.

    Cape Sounion and the East Coast

    The beach resorts of Athens are easily reached from the city and also close are Cape Sounion with the Temple of Poseidon, ancient Marathon and Rafina's port.

  • Greece Travel Secrets visits the Monastiraki Flea Market, followed by Sunday lunch at Sigalas on Monastiraki Square

    Monastiraki Flea Market

    Greece Travel Secrets visits the Monastiraki Flea Market, followed by Sunday lunch at Sigalas on Monastiraki Square

  • This beginner's guide to Greek architecture explains how to tell your Ionic from your Doric columns, and what to look for in temples and Byzantine churches.

    Greek Architecture

    This beginner's guide to Greek architecture explains how to tell your Ionic from your Doric columns, and what to look for in temples and Byzantine churches.

  • The Athens Agora or ancient market is a must-see site and one of the best things to do in Athens with its restored arcade building, the Stoa, and its museum.

    Athens Agora

    The Athens Agora or ancient market is a must-see site and one of the best things to do in Athens with its restored arcade building, the Stoa, and its museum.

  • In My Athens on Greece Travel Secrets travel writer Mike Gerrard describes what he loves about Athens including the Acropolis and eating!

    My Athens: a Portrait by Travel Writer Mike Gerrard

    In My Athens on Greece Travel Secrets travel writer Mike Gerrard describes what he loves about Athens including the Acropolis and eating!

  • The Greece Travel Secrets guide to the original Athens Olympic Stadium, built for the 1896 Olympic Games and open to the public for jogging and photography.

    Athens Olympic Stadium

    The Greece Travel Secrets guide to the original Athens Olympic Stadium, built for the 1896 Olympic Games and open to the public for jogging and photography.

  • Athens car rental options include almost all of the major international car hire firms such as Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Europcar.

    Athens Car Rental

    Athens car rental options include almost all of the major international car hire firms such as Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Europcar.

  • Easter in Athens is, like everywhere in Greece, the biggest religious celebration of the year and this page tells you what to expect over the Easter weekend.

    Easter in Athens

    Easter in Athens is, like everywhere in Greece, the biggest religious celebration of the year and this page tells you what to expect over the Easter weekend.

  • The best views in Athens include views from the Acropolis and of the Acropolis from the top of some of the city’s several hills and from hotels and restaurants.

    Best Views in Athens

    The best views in Athens include views from the Acropolis and of the Acropolis from the top of some of the city’s several hills and from hotels and restaurants.

  • Piraeus is the port of Athens from where many ferries to the Greek islands depart, and it also has an Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Maritime Museum.

    Piraeus

    Piraeus is the port of Athens from where many ferries to the Greek islands depart, and it also has an Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Maritime Museum.

  • If visiting Athens it helps to know when major events and public holidays take place, as some shops and attractions may be closed, but to be there at times like Easter can make for a magical trip.

    Athens Events and Public Holidays

    If visiting Athens it helps to know when major events and public holidays take place, as some shops and attractions may be closed, but to be there at times like Easter can make for a magical trip.

  • There are lots of flights from Athens to Santorini as well as a ferry service from Piraeus, with flights to Santorini leaving from Athens International Airport.

    Athens to Santorini

    There are lots of flights from Athens to Santorini as well as a ferry service from Piraeus, with flights to Santorini leaving from Athens International Airport.

  • Athens International Airport is east of Athens city centre with its own Metro train station, buses to Athens and Piraeus, taxis and car rental offices.

    Athens International Airport

    Athens International Airport is east of Athens city centre with its own Metro train station, buses to Athens and Piraeus, taxis and car rental offices.

  • This drive around Attica offers visitors high hills, beach resorts, small villages and classical sites like Marathon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.

    A Drive around Attica

    This drive around Attica offers visitors high hills, beach resorts, small villages and classical sites like Marathon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.

  • There's all kinds of entertainment in Athens whether you're interested in theatre, dance, classical music, jazz, Greek music, rock music, disco, opera or movies.

    Entertainment in Athens

    There's all kinds of entertainment in Athens whether you're interested in theatre, dance, classical music, jazz, Greek music, rock music, disco, opera or movies.

  • The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best things to see in Athens, and the best museum in the world for seeing Greece's archaeological treasures.

    National Archaeological Museum

    The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best things to see in Athens, and the best museum in the world for seeing Greece's archaeological treasures.

  • This walk around the Kolonaki neighbourhood of Athens starts and ends in Syntagma Square and takes you to several museums, Kolonaki Square and Mount Lykabettos.

    A Walk around Kolonáki

    This walk around the Kolonaki neighbourhood of Athens starts and ends in Syntagma Square and takes you to several museums, Kolonaki Square and Mount Lykabettos.

  • The Athens War Museum is a fascinating look at Greek history through the lens of warfare from ancient battles to the Greek War of Independence and World War II.

    Athens War Museum

    The Athens War Museum is a fascinating look at Greek history through the lens of warfare from ancient battles to the Greek War of Independence and World War II.

  • Around Monastiraki is the flea market, Athens cathedral, Kerameikos Cemetery, the Benaki Museum of Islamic Art and the Psirri and Gazi nightlife districts.

    Monastiraki and Around

    Around Monastiraki is the flea market, Athens cathedral, Kerameikos Cemetery, the Benaki Museum of Islamic Art and the Psirri and Gazi nightlife districts.

  • Athens' Benaki Museum is one of the city’s top museums with an outstanding collection, especially of Greek and Egyptian artefacts, in a beautiful mansion.

    Athens’Benaki Museum

    Athens' Benaki Museum is one of the city’s top museums with an outstanding collection, especially of Greek and Egyptian artefacts, in a beautiful mansion.

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Latest Posts

RSS

  1. Airlines from the US Boost Link to Greece with 56 Weekly Flights

    Tourist traffic from the US is expected to pick up in the coming months thanks to the launch of 56 direct flights a week to Athens, set to bring more than 1 million travelers to Greece and generate 1…

    Read More

  2. Crete’s New Heraklion Airport to Become Mediterranean Hub

    Works on the highly anticipated Kastelli Airport to handle initially 15 million passengers a year and create hundreds of jobs are moving ahead as scheduled, said Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotak…

    Read More

  3. Greek Destinations Among The Telegraph’s Top 50 Hotspots for Family Holidays

    A number of Greek island and mainland destinations are among the travel hotspots that The Telegraph suggests on its “50 fabulous family holidays for 2023” list.

    Read More

  4. Greece’s Chiliadou Beach Nominated for Best Filming Location

    The European Film Commission Network (EUFCN) has included Chiliadou Beach on the island of Evia among the five finalists for the 6th edition of the Best Filming Location competition.

    Read More

  5. Exploring Olympus: Can the Ice Talk?

    We head to the “residence of the gods” with a team of scientists seeking to unravel the secrets of past climate change hidden in the mountain’s ice deposits and alpine soils.

    Read More

  6. Winter Destination for Foodies: Metsovo

    A winery and hotel, a traditional taverna, and a shop selling fine local products of Metsovo, in the Pindus mountains.

    Read More

  7. Keep Swimming: Where to Winter on the Beach

    7 great beaches where you can throw off your coat and join Athens’ winter swimmers

    Read More

  8. Greek Co-Production in the Running for 3 Oscars

    Ruben Östlund's film, “Triangle of Sadness,” shot on the Greek island of Evia, receives three nominations for this year’s Academy Awards.

    Read More

  9. 11 English Language Bookstores in Athens

    Before looking online for something engaging to read, stroll over to one of these places and check out what's on their shelves.

    Read More

  10. Greek Destinations in the Running for Best in Europe Title

    Athens, Rhodes and Milos are the three Greek destinations competing with popular cities in Europe for the title of “European Best Destination 2023”. The competition is being held for the 14th consecut…

    Read More