Project Title:

Restoration of the Church of the Taxiarchs at Kastro Polichni and its Fortified Enclosure

Region: Peloponnese
Regional Unit: Messenia
Municipality: Oichalia
Municipal Unit: Meligalas
Local Community: Polichni

Operational Programme: “Peloponnese 2021–2027”

The Church of the Taxiarchs in Polichni, built at the end of the 10th century, is located to the north of the settlement of the same name. It belongs to the rare variation of the cross-in-square church “with a shortened western arm of the cross.”

Its dome rests on a cylindrical drum, reinforced internally by two intersecting ribs—an unusual feature for Byzantine churches in Greece.

During the 18th century, the monument underwent extensive alterations, including the partitioning of spaces, the support of vaults with reinforcing arches and walls, and the elimination of the external cross-shaped roof layout, replaced by a single double-pitched roof covering both the nave and the original narthex. The most significant aesthetic degradation occurred in 1929 with the addition of a large wooden-roofed external narthex.

To the north, east, and south of the church are preserved the ruins of a fortified enclosure, in which at least three building phases have been identified. The site has been associated with the “Castle of the Archangel” mentioned in historical sources, a construction dating from the Frankish period.

The fortified enclosure has a roughly square plan. Its southwestern corner is the best preserved, where a ruined tower-like structure still stands. The remaining parts of the enclosure survive in a state of advanced decay, showing serious problems of structural stability.

Within the framework of the project, the following works are foreseen:

• Cleaning operations and trial archaeological trenches, mainly in the western section of the enclosure and between the church and its northern wall.

• Demolition of the later narthex.

• Structural consolidation and morphological restoration of the original Byzantine church, the tower, and sections of the fortified enclosure.

Benefits

The main objective of the project is the restoration and structural strengthening of the monument to address its serious structural and static issues.

The project’s implementation will eliminate safety risks, ensure the scientific documentation of the monument, and highlight its historical and architectural significance.

Upon completion, the site will be enhanced and made accessible to the public, increasing its visibility and visitor appeal. The restored monument and its fortified enclosure will become an archaeological landmark and a significant cultural and tourist attraction, contributing to the broader revitalization of the area.