Church of Agios Nikolaos in Velventos

At the entrance of Velventos, next to the Byzantine Church of Agios Minas, stands the post-Byzantine Church of Agios Nikolaos, an important religious and artistic monument of the 16th century. According to the founding inscription of 1588, the church was renovated from the ground up at the expense of the notable Georgios Moutafis and was frescoed by the painter Nikolaos, representing a characteristic example of post-Byzantine art in the region.

The single-aisled church retains exceptional artistic elements, the most important of which is the wooden iconostasis of 1591, the oldest dated in Greece. The gilded iconostasis, with its rich floral decoration and detailed execution, is a representative example of the woodcarving art of the period. The frescoes of 1588, painted by Nikolaos, cover significant areas of the church, while remnants of earlier frescoes from the 14th century can also be found.

Originally, the church functioned as part of a monastic complex with cells and a hospice, while today it retains the main church, a balcony on the southern side, and a modern protective roof in place of the demolished narthex. In the late 20th century (1996-2000), significant restoration work was carried out, including the stabilization of the building, roof replacement, and conservation of the frescoes.

The Church of Agios Nikolaos, with its architectural simplicity and rich artistic decoration, stands as a unique witness to the religious and artistic tradition of the region during the post-Byzantine era, offering valuable insights into the development of ecclesiastical art in northern Greece.