Church of Christ the Savior at Tylissos

The single-aisled vaulted church of Jesus Christ the Savior ( Sotiras Christos ) in the old central square of Tylissos has undergone alterations through the centuries. It’s interior houses an arcosolium (funerary monument of the founder of the church) while there is an exceptional fountain with Arabic inscriptions embedded on its exterior wall.

The church bears frescoes of the 14th century include depictions from the Life of the Virgin Mary (Panagia) , a representation of the Virgin holding the baby Jesus , Mary of Egypt , prophets, saints, decorative geometric themes, etc. The style of the murals is based on the color contrast ( chiaro scuro ) for the rendering of the outline of the broadly lit faces (see the icon of Mary the Egyptian ).

The shaping of the faces is soft, with low relief and calm lights, while the disturbed ptychology is rendered with complementary colors and discreet use of the line. The line is used to render the characteristics of the nose and eyes.

However, there are also archaic elements, such as the elongation of the bodies, the intense shaping of the ears of Christ in the representation of the Infant, which are reminiscent of 13th century frescoes.