The beauteous Byzantine church of Agios Nikolaos Rangavas is located at Prytaniou Street in Plaka, on the northeastern side of the hill of the Acropolis.It is dated from the second half of the 11^th century, according to the inscription of the Leon Rangavas that has been found on a stanchion of the dome.It is a simple four-columned cross-in-square church, with the subsequent additions of the chapel of Agia Paraskevi on its southern side and the narthex with a bell tower on its western side.After several restoration works, the entire southern wall of the church has been revealed, built with rubble masonry (a series of carved stones which are surrounded by thin bricks) and its ceramic decoration, which you will have the opportunity to admire from Tripodon Street, located just below the church.Inside the church are preserved 4 columns, two of which have chapiters supporting its octagonal and the particularly elegant dome.In the courtyard you will see many marble part of the 11^th century, such as, for example, a part of an epistyle of the original chancel screen.A sight, which is linked to two significant moments in Modern Greek history, is the bell hanging inside the church, which is, according to tradition, the first one placed in a church after the Revolution and the first one, which chimed the liberation of Athens from the Germans.If you pass through the area on a Sunday morning, after the service, the hospitable bevy of Agios Nikolaos will offer you coffee and biscuits.It is also worth combining your visit with the masses of the Salutes, which are characterized by devoutness, despite the fact that the church is deluged by people from all over Athens.Within close distance from Agios Nikolaos Rangavas is located the Byzantine chapel of Agios Ioannis Theologos (12^thcentury), which retains its original masonry.You will find it by moving more in towards the Plaka, either from Prytaniou Street outside Agios Nikolaos, where you will turn right on Epicharmou Street, or from Tripodon Street under Agios Nikolaos, where you will turn left in the first alley, Erotokritou Street, that will take you directly to Agios Ioannis.