The Churches in the Library of Hadrian: Tracing the Religious Evolution of the Site

Churches in the Library of Hadrian: From Roman Learning to Christian Worship

By the 5th century CE, Christianity had firmly taken root in Athens, replacing its once-dominant pagan traditions. As temples to the Olympian gods fell into disuse, many were repurposed into churches. Hadrian’s Library, with its imposing walls and central courtyard, was an ideal location for such a transformation.

The first known of the Churches in the Library of Hadrian was the Tetraconch Church, constructed around the 5th century CE. This structure marked a dramatic shift in how the site was used, moving from a Roman intellectual hub to a center of Christian worship.

The Tetraconch Church: A New Religious Era for Athens

The Tetraconch Church, built directly over Hadrian’s Library’s central courtyard, was a unique and significant monument in early Christian Athens.

Key Architectural Features

• Tetraconch Design:
  • The term tetraconch refers to its four semicircular apses, arranged symmetrically around a central space.
  • This design created a cross-like floor plan, symbolic of Christian unity and faith.
• Use of Roman Structures:
  • The church incorporated the walls of Hadrian’s Library, repurposing Roman materials for Christian worship.
  • The former decorative pool of the library was covered, possibly used as the foundation of an altar.
• Possible Connection to Empress Eudokia:
  • Some historians believe that Empress Eudokia, a Byzantine ruler with ties to Athens, may have funded its construction.
  • If true, this suggests that the church played an important role in the city’s religious administration.

Religious and Historical Importance

• The Tetraconch Church may have served as Athens’ first cathedral, making it a central place of worship in early Byzantine times.
• It symbolized the triumph of Christianity over classical Greek and Roman traditions, repurposing a pagan space into a sacred Christian site.
• The rise of Christianity in Athens led to the decline of pagan schools and temples, shifting the city’s cultural and religious identity.

The Megali Panagia: The First True Cathedral of Athens

By the 7th century CE, the Tetraconch Church was either expanded or replaced by a larger Christian basilica, known as the Megali Panagia. This marked a further evolution of Hadrian’s Library into a major religious center.

What Was the Megali Panagia?

• It was a three-aisled Christian basilica, built over the remains of the Tetraconch Church.
• It may have functioned as the city’s official cathedral, replacing the earlier church as the main center of Christian worship in Athens.
• The basilica featured:
  • A central nave, flanked by two side aisles.
  • A large apse at the eastern end, typical of Byzantine churches.
  • Columns and decorative elements repurposed from Hadrian’s Library.

Why Was It Significant?

• The Megali Panagia was Athens’ first true cathedral, serving as its main church before the Middle Byzantine period.
• It demonstrated the continued Christianization of Athens, as religious structures replaced former pagan and Roman monuments.
• The transition from the Tetraconch Church to a full basilica mirrored similar developments across the Byzantine Empire, as early Christian worship spaces evolved into grander, more formal cathedrals.

By the 12th century, however, the Megali Panagia had fallen into ruin, and new churches—such as the Metropolis of Athens—became the city’s primary cathedrals.

The Church of Agios Asomatos sta Skalia: A Forgotten Byzantine Chapel

As the centuries passed, Hadrian’s Library remained a spiritual landmark, even as Athens’ main religious centers moved elsewhere. During the late Byzantine and early Ottoman periods, a small church known as Agios Asomatos sta Skalia (meaning “Saint Archangel Michael on the Steps”) was built within the library’s ruins.

What Do We Know About This Church?

• It was constructed in the 13th century, after the fall of the Megali Panagia.
• The church was built on the western side of Hadrian’s Library, near the original Roman Propylon (entrance).
• The Chalkokondyles family, a prominent Athenian Byzantine family, may have sponsored its construction.
• The name “sta Skalia” (on the steps) suggests that it was built atop earlier ruins, incorporating Hadrian’s original staircases.

The Church’s Role in Ottoman Athens

• During the Ottoman period (15th–19th century), the site became part of Athens’ administrative complex, and the church continued to function.
• By the 19th century, the church was demolished during archaeological excavations, though some fragments remain.

Though smaller and less famous than its predecessors, Agios Asomatos sta Skalia represents how Hadrian’s Library remained a site of Christian worship for over 1,000 years.

Ottoman-Era Transformations and the Site’s Final Religious Decline

During Ottoman rule (15th–19th century CE), the site of Hadrian’s Library saw further modifications:

✅ The Ottomans repurposed the library’s ruins as part of the city’s fortifications and administrative buildings.
✅ The Fethiye Mosque, built in the 17th century, was constructed near the area, reflecting the city’s Islamic influence.
✅ By the 19th century, Christian religious use of the site declined, and archaeological interest grew, leading to the removal of later structures.

The remains were eventually excavated, revealing fragments of all three Churches in the Library of Hadrian—the Tetraconch Church, the Megali Panagia, and Agios Asomatos sta Skalia—alongside the original Roman ruins.

What Remains Today?

Visitors to can still see traces of these historic Churches in the Library of Hadrian:

✅ The foundations of the Tetraconch Church, marking its four-apsed design.
✅ Byzantine mosaic fragments from the Megali Panagia basilica.
✅ Scattered remains of Agios Asomatos sta Skalia.

While the Churches in the Library of Hadrian are no longer standing, their legacy endures in the site’s layered history, showcasing how Athens evolved from a Roman intellectual hub to a Byzantine religious center.

Conclusion: A Sacred Space Through the Ages

The churches of Hadrian’s Library tell a story of transformation, adaptation, and faith. From the Tetraconch Church’s role in early Christianity to the Megali Panagia’s prominence as Athens’ first cathedral, and finally, to Agios Asomatos sta Skalia’s survival into Ottoman times, the site remained a place of worship for over a millennium.