Month: November 2015

Located about 3km outside the mountainous village of Platanistasa, the 15th century church of Stavros tou Agiasmati is a UNESCO World Heritage site and retains the most complete cycles of mural paintings of the second half of the 15th century on the island.

Its name derives from the word ‘Agiasma’ (-atos) which in Greek means ‘sanctified water, spring or well near a church’. The church used to be a monastery church, but only traces of the cells of the monastic buildings remain to the south of the church.

The surviving structure is a single-aisled building with a steep-pitched timber roof covered with flat tiles that extends beyond the main structure to form a portico on all four sides – a feature that is unique in Cyprus. According to an inscription, the building was built with the donation of a priest named Petros Peratis and his wife Pepani, who are both depicted on a fresco offering a model of the church to Jesus with the mediation of the Virgin. Also noteworthy is the extensive and multi-person Last Judgment scene, which unfolds up to the far end of the gable where Jesus Christ is depicted.

Whilst the year of the church’s erection is not known, it is generally accepted that its decoration was completed in 1494.

The Church of the Holy Cross of Agiasmati in Platanistasa – Audio Guide

Located in the mountainous region of Moutoulla, the tiny 13th century chapel of Panagia tou Moutoulla is one of the earliest examples of its type and is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The church has a steep-pitched timber roof and frescoes dating to 1280. The narthex was added at a later stage, after the beginning of the 16th century, and extends to the west and north sides of the church. The timber roof also covers the narthex. The wall paintings are the only series of the thirteenth century (1280) that survive in Cyprus and can be dated with precision.

The church was built and decorated through the donations of Ioannis of Moutoullas and his wife Irene, who are both depicted holding a model of the church. It is believed that it may have been a private chapel.

The village itself has an ongoing tradition for carved wooden basins.

The Church of Panagia tou Moutoulla – Audio Guide 

Located in the mountainous area of Pitsilia, between the villages of Lagoudera and Saranti, the 12th century church of Panagia tou Araka is a listed UNESCO World Heritage site and is considered to be of the most important Byzantine period churches on the island.

The church used to be a monastery church, built during the second half of the 12th century, when monastic life was flourishing in Cyprus. It survived until the first decades of the 19th century and its remains include a two-storey monastery building to the north, along with the church.

The church is a single-aisled domed structure with a cross-shaped, steep-pitched roof that extends to form a latticed-woodwork portico. During the 18th century, the west wall was demolished and the church was extended.

The frescos inside the church are comparable to those prevailing throughout Greece, the Balkans and Russia, and were painted by the artist Theodoros Apsevdis in the late Comnenian style (1192). Those in the apse of the bema are of a different style to those in the rest of the church, and it is believed that they were painted by another artist before 1192.

Panagia tou Araka – Audio Guide 

Located in the Solea Valley, in the village of Kourdali, the church of Panagia Chrysokourdaliotissa was built in the 16th century as a monastery church dedicated to Panagia (the Virgin Mary), and according to the foundation stone, was established by deacon Leone Kourdalis.

The preserved church is three-aisled, with a steep-pitched roof and flat roof tiles. The aisles of the church are divided from the nave by wooden arcades. The church contains wall paintings and icons of the 16th century in the Italo-Byzantine style, and the iconostasis is a fine example of wood sculpture of the 16th -17th centuries.

In 2006, the Holy Synod decided to re-establish the Monastery.

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