Church of Panagia Mouzeviki – Saint Minas
Between the districts of Apozari and Doltso, in one of Kastoria’s most historically significant neighborhoods —where churches stand one after another— you will find the Church of the Virgin Mary, which, nowadays, is dedicated to Saint Minas, the patron saint of the city. This name has prevailed mainly in modern times, most likely due to the fresco of Saint Minas which decorates the church’s western wall, directly linking the monument to the city’s liberation and contemporary devotional tradition.
The church is an elongated, single-aisle basilica with a later-added women’s gallery and frescoes dating from three different centuries, and varying across four distinct phases. The wall paintings began in the late 14th century and were completed in 1650. Large sections of the painted decoration remain in good condition today, allowing visitors to closely observe the evolution of artistic craftsmanship. Particularly notable are the two phases from the 17th century, distinguished both by their extent and the amount of depicted scenes, which highlight the vibrant artistic activity of the period.
