The chapel of Panayia Plataniotissa is a rare natural and religious phenomenon. We will visit it together in one of our excursions / day breaks during your stay at Agroville. The chapel is on the western bank of the Kerinitis river, 12 km. north-west of Kalavrita, right next to the Plataniotissa village.
The chapel has been present for several centuries in a cavity formed by three adjoining trees. To be more precise, the cavity hosting the chapel was created when three trees grew together and formed a cavity between their trunks, resembling one large tree when viewed from the outside. Upon closer observation, one will notice a fourth tree present in the complex, which had atrophied and could not grow further as a result of the pressure from the other three trees. The phenomenon is quite unique indeed worldwide, and the estimated age of the trees is over 1,000 years!
The chapel formed in the cavity is lit by a window at the south-east of the tree and the doorway at the entrance. The inside of the tree is not entirely smooth and semicircular cavities have been formed at places.
The inside of the chapel is divided into two unequal parts: The Bema, where a priest with their deacon or associate may perform the Christian Service, and the main chapel area which can accommodate approximately 15 worshippers.
A prominent feature in the chapel which will impress you is the icon of the Panayia Vrefokratousa (loosely translated as “Infant-bearing Virgin Mary”). The icon is engraved on the inside of the tree, at a height of 3 meters above ground. According to the tradition, the icon was engraved on the inside of the tree when monks from the ‘Megalo Spileo’ attempted to salvage the icon of Panayia Vrefokratousa and transferred it to several locations. One night, they spent the night inside the cavern of the tree. In the morning, when they picked up the icon t and set off on their way, they were amazed to see its engraving present where the icon had been laid. The chapel celebrates every September 8th.
Together we will visit Panayia Plataniotissa and show you up close this unique marvel of nature. Visit Agroville in order to live real ecotourism experiences, discover splendid locations and admire lovely landscapes in special destinations. If you need to finance your trip or looking to donate some cash – checkout our these online loans offers from our partner!
At Agroville you will live unique life experiences!
