In 7360/28-7-2016 Question tabled in the House the Member of parliament Argolida for the New Republic, mr. Yiannis Andrianos the need for immediate recovery of damages from fire in the Church of St. Demetrius in the Monastery of Egg Ermionida, replied the Minister of Culture and Sports, etc. Cleaver.
In the Reply the Minister referred to, inter alia, the following:
“The monastery of Agios Dimitrios is formed inside the caves that formed on the north slopes of mount Avgo, at an altitude of 320 metres, on the steep slopes of the ravine of the river Rados (ΜπεντενιοÏ). the main building is a tower-like construction, shaped into a natural cavity of the rocks. It is recognized by Î .D. 11.6.1925, government GAZETTE 152/A’/16.6.1925, as a prominent byzantine monument and listed historical and archaeological sites. The main complex of the monastery is shaped in three levels (floors). The duality universal of Agios Dimitrios is located in the upper (third level) and is surrounded by cells, while the cave of the Transfiguration is located at a higher level, above the roof of the complex. The catholicon of the monastery has fragments of frescoes dating back to the 16th or 17th century. In the surrounding area are preserved many buildings and auxiliary spaces of the monastery, such as the two-storey building of the Guest house, a threshing floor and storage on the concentration of the harvest, all made from the 16th century and beyond. The monastery is dated as a whole in the post-byzantine times. The cave of Transformation, which in the interior has murals from the 13th century, it is considered that it constituted the original nucleus of the monastery. Both the monument and the wider natural environment with its cliffs and the gorge of Radou, attract many visitors each year.
The monument has preoccupied several scholars.
The monastery was dissolved by Royal Decree, issued in the years of the regency of king Otto, in 7.10.1833, in accordance with which dissolved all monasteries had fewer than six monks and has since not been active.
Already from the decade of the 80’s, the Services of the MINISTRY.PO. interested for the fastening and maintenance of the monastery. In the early 90’s, the Directorate of Restoration of Byzantine and post-Byzantine Monuments had carried out extensive restoration work of the catholic and of the cells, as well as an independent building of the complex to the north of the monastery (Guest house), following a study that had been prepared from the same, which was accompanied by a study of the IGME and was related to the geotechnical conditions of maintenance of the monastery. So the 5th ephorate of byzantine antiquities, and the 25th ephorate of byzantine antiquities, which had been a substantive competent Curators for the monument in the past have taken care of the monument with little interventions (cleaning, minor repairs for maintenance, etc.).
In the afternoon of 22 July 2016, from an unknown cause, a fire broke out in the monastery, which was perceived by guests and κατασβήστηκε before it spread to the rest of the band. The Ephorate of Antiquities Argolis has been made in recording the damage. From initial estimates it appears that the fire has not destroy important from archaeological point of view objects of the household, while the damage is limited to the space of the catholicon, as well as intact have left the cells and the stairways of all floors. The fire also does not have to damage the wall paintings of the cave of Transformation dating back to the 130, century. Damage observed on a wooden mantle of the bivalve window in αετωμετική end of the roof of the south, catholic as well as in a wooden beam of the ξυλοδεσιάς. In the next period, the scientific staff of the Inspectorate will assess any problems of structural adequacy may have caused the heat to the two universal as well as the possibility of cleaning and fixing of smearsâ€.
Has become recording the losses from the fire in the Monastery Egg Ermionida answers the Minister of Culture
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