Guide of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace

The Holy Church of the Taxiarches at Drama, situated in the city centre, in Venizelou Str., is a characteristic example of Byzantine sculpture, architecture and painting.

It is a single-aisled, vaulted-roofed church of the Palaiologan period (1261–1453 AD) with an entrance at its south side communicating with a section of the city walls through a built staircase on the north and east sides. From 1861 until 1892 the church underwent several reconstruction phases that led to significant changes until it obtained its current form, which is the single-aisled rectangular basilica with gabled roof.

The church is built in the cloisonné masonry with ancient marbles and inscriptions inserted in its walls. Remains of wall paintings came to light on the east and south walls, dating before the mid 14th century AD. In these wall paintings with the representations of the Passion cycle and the Taxiarches, the use of the perspective is clearly manifested as well as the plasticity and spontaneity in which the features of the figures are illustrated.

The iconostasis of the church, currently not in use, has undergone reconstruction works and the wall paintings have been restored.