MONASTERY OF VLACHERNA - 2004

Monastery of Vlacherna. B. Papadopoulou (8th EBA) reports that investigation of the foundations revealed that the central dome was built at the same time as the vault of the central aisle, meaning that the structure was a domed basilica from the beginning. The vault of the north aisle is also connected to the shallow dome (phourniko) there. By contrast, the side domes are later additions which damaged the adjacent sections of vault as well as the neighbouring sides of the base of the central dome. New wallpainting followed their construction.