Church of Agios Stefanos in Kastoria

The Church of Agios Stefanos, one of the oldest and most significant Byzantine monuments in Kastoria, is situated on an elevated area between the traditional districts of Apozari and Doltso. Its construction dates to the mid-9th century, making it one of the oldest churches in the Balkans. The church follows the architectural type of a three-aisled barrel-vaulted basilica with a narthex and a women’s gallery, the latter being a unique feature in Kastoria. Within the gallery, a small chapel, known as the "hermitage," is dedicated to Saint Anna.

The church’s architecture is characterized by alternating stone and brick patterns with decorative geometric motifs, while the three-sided apse of the sanctuary features a built synthronon with an episcopal throne. The interior was adorned with frescoes in three phases: the first, dating to the late 9th or early 10th century, includes an impressive depiction of the Last Judgment in the narthex, the oldest of its kind in Greece. The second phase, from the late 12th or early 13th century, decorates the high clerestory, while the third phase, from the late 13th or early 14th century, consists of numerous votive frescoes, such as the portrait of the priest Theodoros Limniotis presenting a model of the church to Agios Stefanos.

The church also holds unique iconographic significance, featuring the personification of the three ages of Christ (Emmanuel, Pantocrator, and Ancient of Days). The presence of the synthronon, the women’s gallery, and numerous burials suggests that the church may have functioned as a monastic establishment. In the early 20th century, an exonarthex was added to expand the space, and today, studies have been conducted for the restoration and conservation of the frescoes. The Church of Agios Stefanos remains an important cultural and religious monument, reflecting the rich history of Kastoria.