Kapnicarea: Unknown aspects of the temple in the center of Athens

If you’ve walked even once in your life on Ermou Street, surely you’ve seen the beautiful church of Capnicarea. It is a small, Byzantine church dating back to the 11th century. Going down Hermu can’t help noticing. What’s her name? There are two prevailing versions of where the church Panagia Kapnikarea is named. The first is as follows: The name Capnicarea is considered to be associated with the founder of the temple which was “Capnicarios”. That’s what the tobacco tax collectors were called. Of course, tobacco tax was not about smoking. This tobacco tax concerned residential buildings. Not all but those from which smoke came out because of the fire used for cooking or heating. This is also considered the prevailing version. Any homeowner who smoked should pay this tax. The second is completely different. According to her, the image of the Virgin was dressed in a fabric, the kauka or kamukha. It was a valuable weaver. From this were made the feet of the images. From this it is considered that the church was named Koumukhiriotissa and Kamukharea. Eventually, however, in time the word was altered and the name Capnicarea was left. .