Christos Jerusalim Church

The area in which you see the remnants of the Basilica of Christ of Jerusalem now, is the same in which during the pre-Christian times the temple of the Delian Apollo was located, the patron olympic god and protector of Kalymnos.

According to inscriptions, the area was the political and religious center of ancient Kalymnos. Here were the temples of Apollo and Asclepius, the theatre, the gymnasium and the voulefterion (parliement).

The arrival of Christianity, after the persecutions by the Roman emperors, brought the subsequent closure and destruction of the Temple.

The basilica was built in the 5th century AD, probably destroyed in the mid-sixth century by an earthquake and then rebuilt.

Also 40 meters southeast of the basilica another Church was built, Santa Sophia. In the 7th century though, all was abandoned due to the Arab raids.

From the Basilica of Christ of Jerusalem only the eastern part has been revealed from the excavations by the Archeologists, the Englishman Ch. Newton and the Italian M. Serge in 1937. The arch of the sanctuary in full size is maintained in good condition. Building materials used for the Church were taken from the ancient temple of Delian Apollo which existed on the same site, such as architectural and inscribed blocks of a building.

The central aisle is paved with large pieces of marble, while the south is covered with a mosaic that includes animals in their natural environment.

Author Michael Koutellas, Archaeologist

Source: www.kalymnos-isl.gr