Three Bells of Fira

Three Bells of Fira
Τρεις καμπάνες των Φηρών
The famous Three Bells of the church
Religion
Affiliation	Catholicism
Deity	God
Status	Open
Location
Location	Fira
Country	Greece
Geographic coordinates	36°25′24″N 25°25′42″E
Architecture
Completed	1757

The Three Bells of Fira (Greek: Τρεις καμπάνες των Φηρών), officially known as The Catholic Church of the Dormition, is a Greek Catholic church on the island of Santorini. The church is known for its blue dome, three bells and views. The building is located in the town of Fira, directly above the cliffs which dominate western Santorini.

History

The site of the modern Three Bells of Fira has been occupied by a number of other buildings. In the mid-17th century, two modest cave churches were built into the then-solid cliff face. These churches were eventually destroyed as the cliff receded (due to the ongoing expansion of Fira) and an infirmary was built. This building was eventually occupied by Jesuits, who lived on the site until the land was given to the Diocese of Santorini. The current church was built in 1757, and then refurbished and expanded multiple times over the centuries. The structure was heavily damaged in the 1956 Amorgos earthquake, after which the building was restored.

The church's feast day is 15 August.