
Agia Sofia in Langada

The cemetery church of Agia Sofia is located at the western outskirts of Langada, next to the stone-paved old path that used to connect Langada and Koutifari. It is a single aisle church, with at least two construction phases. The eastern barrel-vaulted part and the semicircular apse, built with porous blocks, belong to the first phase. At the end of the 13th century the church was extended westwards. The extension, built with rubble and brick fragments is covered longitudinally by two groin vaults, which is a rare feature in the churches of the region. The ceramoplastic decoration is limited to dented bands and plain motifs at the doors.
The second phase also comprises the arched bilobe bell tower at the west, built with cloisonné masonry and with ample ceramoplastic decoration. The wall paintings at the western part of the church date to the first half of the 14th century. During restoration work fragments came to light of two painting layers in the apse half-cylinder. Archaic and conservative in spirit, they have, however, assimilated the neoteric elements of the 14th century.