Author: Christos

Located on the east bank of a stream, 3km from the mountainous village of Nikitari, Panagia Asinou Church is a small church dedicated to the Virgin of ‘Phorbia’. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains some of the finest Byzantine wall paintings on the island, dating from the 12th to the 17th century.

The church used to be a monastery church that was built in 1099 with the donation of Magistros Nikephoros Ischyrios, who subsequently became a monk with the name Nikolaos. It functioned until the end of the 18th century, when it was abandoned.

The church consists of two parts – the vaulted single-aisled nave and the narthex – which is a later addition belonging to the second half of the 12th century. The 12th century steep-pitched timber roof, covered with flat tiles, sheltered the church. Today, there are no traces of the rest of the monastic buildings.

The murals inside the church date from the 12th century to the 17th century and reflect the art of Constantinople, which is thought to be the artist’s birthplace.

Church of Panagia tis Asinou or Panagia Phorviotissa – Audio Guide 

Located on the slopes of Kionia, in the valley of Machairas mountains, Machairas Monastery is one of the three Royal and Stavropegic of the island and houses the miraculous icon of Panagia (the Virgin Mary) of Machairas, which is attributed to Agios Loukas (Apostle Luke) the Evangelist.

According to tradition, an unknown hermit sneaked the icon into Cyprus during the iconoclasm years (between the 8th and 9th century AD) and kept it in his cave until his death. Blessed with the divine grace, the hermits Ignatios and Neophytos around 1145, discovered the cave – which was obscured by bushes – and were able to reach it by cutting down the undergrowth with a knife given to them by divine hand. As a result, the revealed icon was given the name  ‘Machairiotissa’ from the Greek word for ‘knife’ – ‘machairi’. The monastery was built on the same spot, also taking the name.

Today, the renovated vestry basement houses a collection of old books and manuscripts, icons and other religious artefacts.

The brotherhood at the monastery is extremely devout, keeping vows as strict as those of Mount Athos in Greece.

Monastery of Panagia tou Machaira – Audio Guide 

Located in the mountainous region of Marathasa Valley, the Monastery of Kykkos is the wealthiest and most lavish on the island, and stands on a mountain peak, at an altitude of 1.318 metres.

Dedicated to Panagia (the Virgin Mary), the monastery possesses one of three icons attributed to Agios Loukas (Apostle Luke) the Evangelist. The icon – covered in silver gilt – is in a shrine made of tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl that stands in front of the iconostasis.

According to tradition, Cypriot hermit Isaiah miraculously healed the daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (1081-1118 AD). As a reward, he asked for the icon, and though grieved at the prospect of losing the treasure, the emperor sent it to Cyprus, along with the funds to pay for the construction of a monastery where the sacred relic would be kept. The monastery burned down several times and nothing remains of the original structure.

Today, the monastery produces Zivania spirit and other alcoholic drinks, and holds religious fairs on September 8th (Birth of the Virgin) and August 15th (Dormition of the Virgin). There is also a museum on the grounds, whilst it is noteworthy for being the monastery that the first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III served at as a novice.

Monastery of Kykkos – Audio Guide 

Located in the village of Galata, the church of Panagia Podithou is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of four painted churches in the village.

Once belonging to a monastery, the church was built in 1502 through the donation of Demetre de Coron and his wife Helen. Demetre, a captain of the barony of Pentageia, is known to have been involved in the political disorder of 1461. The monastery functioned until the beginning of the 19th century, but fell into decline and was finally abandoned after 1821 when the Archbishop and other notables were executed following the Greek revolution.

The building is single-aisled with a steep-pitched timber roof. A later portico surrounds the three sides of the church, with the roof sheltering both the church and portico. The mural paintings are of the Italo-Byzantine style that appeared on the island towards the end of the 15th century.

The Church of Panagia Podithou (Virgin Mary of Podithou) at Galata – Audio Guide

Overlooking the beautiful, old mountainous village of Palaichori, the Metamorfosis tou Sotiros Church (Transfiguration of the Saviour) is an early 16th century chapel that is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The structure is single-aisled with a timber-roof that is characteristic of Troodos region churches. The narthex, which was added by the beginning of the 17th century, extends to the west and south sides of the church and is covered by the same timber roof.

The church’s interior is completely painted with one of the most complete series of murals of the post-Byzantine period in Cyprus. The unknown artist was influenced by the art of the Palaiologan period, but also draws influence from western art.

Church of Metamorphosis tou Sotiros (the Transfiguration of the Saviour) – Palaichori – Audio Guide 

Located in the picturesque village of Pedoulas, Archangelos Michael Church is a small church that was built and decorated in 1474 by a local painter named Minas, who came from the area of Marathasa. It is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The church is completely decorated on two levels in the local post-Byzantine style that developed prior to Venetian rule. There are 11 compositions from the Festival Cycle above, and depictions of the saints below. The Crucifixion and the Ascension are depicted in the pediments.

The structure of the church has a usual sloping mountain roof and is single-aisled. The narthex, which extends to its south and west side, was used as a loft for women due to the small size of the church, whilst only men entered the main church. A wooden templon of the same period has remained intact and serves as an excellent example of its kind.

Church of Archangelos Michael in Pedoulas – Audio Guide 

The church of Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis (St. Nicholas of the Roof) is located in the Solea Valley (5km from Kakopetria village) and is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The domed cross-in-square church once belonged to a monastery complex and derives its name from its pitched timber roof that was built to protect it from the weather. It is the only surviving monastery church of its kind on the island and is covered entirely in wall paintings from the 11th to the 17th centuries, with the most important surviving set on the island from this period. As such, it is considered one of the most interesting Byzantine churches in Cyprus.

The church itself is dated to the 11th century, whilst the monastery dated to the end of the 13th or the beginning of the 14th century and flourished from the Middle Byzantine period up to the period of Frankish rule. It declined during the 18th century and ceased to function as a monastery by the end of the 19th century.

Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis – Audio Guide

Originally a monastery, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a complex of three churches – Ioannis Lampadistis, Agios Irakleidios and a Latin chapel – all under a single, enormous timber roof.

Located in the Troodos valley of Marathasa (just off the village of Kalopanagiotis), the precise date of the monastery’s foundation is not known, and the building complex that survives today has undergone extensive reconstruction and restoration at different periods.

The church of Agios Ioannis Lampadistis was built in 1731. The saint’s tomb, which dates to the 12th century, can be found under the narrow north-eastern arch, and the saint’s skull lies in a niche. The icon of Lampadistis dates to 1543. A very interesting Byzantine museum can be found near the church.

The church of Agios Irakleidios was built in the 11th century, while its frescoes date to the 13th and 16th century. The ancient wooden templon is particularly noteworthy and is covered with gargoyles, including a heraldic Lusignan lion and Byzantine eagle.

The Latin Chapel contains the most complete series of Italo-Byzantine paintings in Cyprus.

Monastery of Agios Ioannis Lampadistis – Audio Guide