Davelis Cave, Penteli Athens

The large cave (60 meters long, 40 meters wide and 20 meters high) is actually inside an ancient marble quarry – perhaps the same one that produced the Parthenon marbles. This place of worship for the god Pan and the nymphs was used by hermits during Byzantine times. There are two churches at its entrance […]

The large cave (60 meters long, 40 meters wide and 20 meters high) is actually inside an ancient marble quarry – perhaps the same one that produced the Parthenon marbles. This place of worship for the god Pan and the nymphs was used by hermits during Byzantine times. There are two churches at its entrance – St. Spyridon and St. Nicholas – as it was customary to erect churches in places of idolatory.  The cave achieved notoriety when an outlaw known as Davelis (real name Christos Natsios) used the cave as a hideout. It is believed that tunnels from this cave lead to regions around Athens. Others still, believe that it is a time portal as the cave has always been associated with paranormal activity. It achieved even greater notoriety when the army began construction works in the area causing speculation that it was being used for sinister purposes. People wanted to know why the army was tampering with an ancient site.