These three monasteries are geographically distant from each other, (the first is in Attica, near Athens, the second in Phokis near Delphi, and the third on an island in the Aegean Sea, near Asia Minor). Still there is a deep relation between them as they belong to the same epoch, have similar architectural and artistic characteristics and are the most brilliant examples of an important period of Byzantine art development – its “second golden age”. The churches in all three monasteries are built on a cross-in-square plan with a large dome in the centre. In the 11th and 12th centuries they were decorated with superb marble works and mosaics on a gold background.
Read more about the treasure at the Unesco World Heritage List.