Early Christian Basilica of Chalinados

The Early Christian Basilica of Chalinadou, in the area of Agia Paraskevi, dates to the second half of the 6th century AD, as indicated by the capitals and a coin of Emperor Maurice Tiberius. It is a three-aisled timber-roofed basilica with a narthex and a semicircular apse in the sanctuary, notable for having been covered by a built dome. The church was divided into three aisles by two colonnades with monolithic columns of local limestone and Ionic capitals. Parts of the ciborium of the Holy Table, the chancel screen and sculptures of the ambo survive; the ambo had a circular body and a double staircase. The floor was paved with large stone slabs, many of which still survive in the south aisle. Although there are no historical testimonies about its foundation, it is likely that it served as the katholikon of a small monastery, retaining particular architectural and religious value.