Church of Archontissa Theologina (Dame Theologina)
In the Mouzeviki district stands the Church of Saint Nicholas of Archontissa Theologina, a monument reflecting Kastoria’s long ecclesiastical tradition. It is a single-aisle timber-roofed basilica with an elongated plan ending in a pentagonal apse toward the east side. Its masonry consists of stonework with embedded wooden beams, typical of the period’s construction methods.
The original frescoes date to the late 15th century and are attributed to the Kastoria workshop, according to researchers. From this phase, the Entry into Jerusalem survives on the north wall. The rest of the church’s main wall surfaces were redecorated with new frescoes at a later time, courtesy of Archontissa Theologina and her generous donation. As recorded in the dedicatory inscription, these frescoes date to 1663. The church suffered damage from bombings in 1940, was repaired in 1953, and fully restored in 1988.
Together with the Church of Saint Nicholas of Nun Eupraxia and the Church of Saint Nicholas Magaleiou, this church forms a cohesive group of monuments that illustrates the development of the Kastoria workshop, featuring works of varying degrees of classicism from the period of its activity across the Balkan region.
