Axos, church of Agia Irini (Saint Irene)

The church of Saint Irene in Axos was built in two phases. First, in the 14th century, a single nave, barrel-vaulted church was constructed, that still preserves its murals. A little later, the church was extended to the west with the addition of a domed narthex. The exterior of the dome’s drum is decorated with carved arches resting on small capitals. On one of the capitals, a shield-shaped coat of arms of the Kallergis family is carved, which suggests that the narthex was probably built on the initiative of a member of this powerful family.

Bibliography

Μ. Ανδριανάκης, Κ. Γιαπιτσόγλου, Χριστιανικά μνημεία της Κρήτης, Ηράκλειο 2012, σ. 292-3.

I. Spatharakis, Byzantine wall paintings of Crete, vol II. Mylopotamos Province, Leiden 2015, σ. 92-96.