Episkopi stands in the interior of Sikinos as one of the Cyclades' most unusual architectural survivals. From a distance it resembles a compact domed church; archaeological study identifies its core as a monumental Roman mausoleum erected in the third century CE. Its later conversion to Christian worship and continued use preserved a building that might otherwise have disappeared.
The Greek Ministry of Culture calls the monument a rare historical palimpsest. Ancient masonry, medieval alterations and later repairs remain joined in one structure, while the surrounding monastic complex and landscape extend the story beyond the main building. It is more accurate to describe Episkopi as a mausoleum transformed into a church than as an ancient temple casually reused.
