Summary
The Holy Monastery of Koimisis in Torniki was built on a mound along the riverside of the Aliakmon, some 150 metres away from the road that leads to the Zavorda Monastery, nearby Panagia or Torniki village of Grevena. The catholikon of the Monastery is two-storeyed and consists of two single-aisle churches with separate access in the west. Adjacent to the west side was a linear range of cells. The church on the upper storey is roofed with a vault, on the keystone of which Christ Pantocrator is depicted. On either side, Christ Pantocrator is framed by two bands of medallions with prophets, among which a narrow band with floral ornaments is inserted. Both sides of the vault are decorated with scenes of the Dodecaorton. On the east wall Virgin Platytera, full-length hierarchs, the deacon Stephen, the Holy Mandyllion and the scene of the Ascension are displayed. On the south wall is the Virgin, enthroned, in the type of Angalophorousa, and full-length saints. A window punctuates them, on the upper side of which the donor’s inscription is preserved. On the north wall St Konstantine and St Helen and the three-figured Deisis are depicted. On the west side, the upper zone displays the Dormition of the Theotokos and the lower, on either side of the entrance, Archangel Michael and St Kyriaki. The frescoes date back to 1481/2 and are probably related to the so-called “workshop of Castoria”. In the area of the sanctuary an older layer of painted decoration is just visible. The church on the ground floor was roofed with a vault, the central part of which has been destroyed. On the sides, scenes of the Dodecaorton are depicted. Round the surface of the wall, the middle and the lower register display medallions with saints and full-length saints respectively. A few traces of frescoes are maintained on the east wall, whereas on the west the Dormition of the Theotokos is depicted. On either side of the entrance, Archangel Michael and St Constantine and St Helen are displayed and above the door the donor’s inscription is preserved with the date 1728/30. In 2008 excavations were carried out in the north wing of the ruined cells and in the yard of the Monastery. Six cells were revealed, the refectory, parts of the cobbled road of the yard and part of the surrounding wall on the north-east side. Round the foundations of the church, eleven graves, mostly disturbed, came to light. The finds attest to a continuous habitation of the Monastery from the 15th to the 18th century AD. The transportation of the catholikon due to the operation of the dam of Ilarion was completed in 2011. The inclined transportation road was formed on the hill and today’s position of the monument was delimited. In and outside the church metal rigidity reticulations were installed. The sliding track was laid and through the activation of the system the two-storeyed catholikon was pushed forward and was transported to its new position.
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