Panagia Chalkeon (Virgin Mary of the Coppersmiths - Παναγία Χαλκέων)

Panagia Chalkeon is the Lady of Coppersmiths. And of course is due to the church's location. The surrounding area of the church from the medieval years up to now is city's centre for coppersmiths.

It is a longitudinal church of the cross-in-square type, with a triconch sanctuary on the east and a narthex on the west side.

The church was founded by the "protospathario" Christoforo, a Byzantine official, as is stated on the marble lintel of the main west entrance. During the years of the Ottoman occupation the church turned into a mosque and turn to church again after 1912, with the liberation of the city.

The renovation started few years later and of course a project for the restoration of the wall paintings that Ottomans covered with whitewash.

Nowadays the visitors have the chance to observe two layers of wall paintings that are dating back to the 11th and the 14th century.