Download
1 / 75
E N D
WELCOME TO THIVA
Thebes and Mythology Thebes is one of the most ancient cities in Greece. The legend says that Thebes has been created by Kadmos. When Zeus stole princess Europe, her brother Kadmos searched for her in Greece. In order to find her, he went on to Delphi to seek help from the oracle in finding his sister.
The Pythia (high priestess of Delphi) told him to stop searching for her. She also said to him to follow a cow and create a new city where the cow would lay down.So Kadmos built Thebes where the cow stopped, on seven hills. Kadmos also killed a dragon that guarded the spring of Dirce, which was sacred to the war god Ares.
Also many other well known people of mythology were born in Thebes. Oedipus: He was adopted from the king and queen of Korinthos, but his real parents were the king and queen of Thebes. His real parents left him on the forest because of an oracle from the Delphi. Oedipus grew up and came to Thebes, he killed his father and he married his mother without knowing what he had done. And when he found out the truth, he got blind himself!
His four children had the same fate; Eteocles and Polyneices killed one another in the war and his daughters, Antigone and Ismene were killed by their uncle and king of Thebes Creon.
The mountain Sphinx, where according to mythology the terrible monster, the Sphinx, lived. The Sphinx would stop all those who traveled to Thebes and ask them a riddle. Oedipus was the first who answered the riddle correctly and killed Sphinx.
Heracles was another great person, who was born in Thebes. He was the son of Zeus and Alkmene. His strength and his courage are famous until nowadays!
During historic times, between 371-362 B.C., Thebes was the greatest strength of Ancient Greece, with leaders Epaminondas and Pelopidas. In 48 A.C. Thebes was conquered by the Romans. During the Byzantine period the town flourished, thanks to cultivation and industrial processing of silk.
Thebes was invaded by the Normans, Catalans. During the Frankish occupation (1204 - 1460 A.D.), Thebes is the capital and the base of the Duchy of Athens - Thebes and the richest province.
In 1460 AD, Thebes was annexed to the Ottoman state by Moameth II and declined.
The area of Thebes is placed among the most fruitful areas of Greece, while in recent decades acquired industrial character. It has one of the greatest museums in the country. It also has several important churches.
The main cultural events are the ‘Shepherd’s Wedding’ and ‘Pindareia’. In Thebes there is also a large number of cultural associations.
Epameinondas was a Theban general and statesman of the 4th century BC who transformed the Ancient Greek city-state of Thebes, leading it out of Spartan subjugation into a preeminent position in Greek politics.
The tower ofSaint-Omer The tower is part of the remains of the Frankish fortification of Thebes and has been incorporated in the courtyard of the museum. It is believed to be part of the castle, which was built in 1278 by the ruler of Thebes, Nicholas II de Saint-Omer. The northern gates of the ancient city wall are also believed to be in the same place. The castle was destroyed by the Catalans in 1311 and only the tower was rescued.
Theodoros Vryzakis (Thebes 1814-1878) was a major Greek painter of the 19th century.
Agios Demetrius (Saint Demetrius) or Big Virgin Mary. • The church, which is the biggest and the most magnificent of all the others in Thebes, is found in the south-western part of the city, The temple was built in 1867 and the miraculous icon of ‘Big Virgin Mary’ was transported in it from the old church which was suppressed. The icon is attributed to St Lukas the Evangelist . It is certain that the particular icon is immemorial. This is revealed from the fact that the Virgin Mary holds Jesus in Her right embrace, while newer ones depict Her keeping Him on the left. In the temple an icon of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is saved, which is dated in 1622. Also, icons of Jesus Christ and of Saint John the Precursor can be found.
Metropolis • The Metropolis which is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and is known as the Virgin Mary of Lontzias. It became the Cathedral of Thebes in 1870, when the ledger, which was in Pindarou Street, was burned. The Lontzia was devastated during the national fight and was roughly rebuilt in 1833. It was greatly damaged in the earthquakes in 1853 and 1914 but it was restored later.
The most ancient church of Thebes is Saint Grigorios which was built in 876A.C. simultaneously with the monastery of Scripus from Vasilios. Vasilios was the royal kanditatos of the kings Vasilios the Macedonian, Constantine and Leonta. The temple is found 100 metres northern from the Lontzia and it is depopulated.
Agios Ioannis (Saint John) the Kaloktenis was given birth in Istanbul in the first third of the 12th century. As his parents did not have children, they prayed to Virgin Mary to help them acquire a baby. They promised that if their desire was fulfilled, they would dedicate it to the church.
When Ioannis was born, even as a child, he devoted himself in the adoration. Once, while he was chanting the Salutations in honour of the Virgin Mary, She was presented to him and acknowledged him as the protector of Thebes.
The crusaders as well as the raid of Normans, who plundered the capital of Greece at the time, the big Thebes, had shaken the faith of population. It was essential to have a Metropolitan bishop, with prestige and power, in order to guide the population. The Metropolitan of Thebes during the raid of Normans was deeply offended and after a while he died.
The Church of Constantinople found the occasion proper and placed at the head of metropolis of Thebes Ioanni Kalokteni. He encouraged the population as he promised that shortly things would be corrected and immediately began his restoring work. He did numerous charitable deeds and gained the estimate and the admiration of citizens.
The Metropolitan assembling in his person all the attributes that render the sovereign perfect, he also assembled every administrative power. For this reason, he accomplished many works that required colossal expenses, as the construction of churches, the manufacture of streets and bridges, the foundation of homes for the elderly, schools, hospitals and also the realisation of many deeds.
His beneficial for people actions remained immortal. The church nominated him a Saint and the Thebians built a magnificent temple in his memory and honour in the centre of city. His relics were placed in it and patients come in order to pray and become well.
The temple was pestered by earthquakes in the years of Ottoman domination and collapsed. It was rebuilt, however, at the expenses of king George A’ in 1900. The memory of the Saint is celebrated on 29th April, the day of His death.
