A day among the UNESCO-listed Byzantine churches of the Troodos: from Asinou and Galata to Pedoulas, Moutoullas and the monastery of Ayios Ioannis Lampadistis.
On the northern slopes of the Troodos, in the valleys of Solea and Marathasa, stand some of the most important painted churches in Cyprus. In 1985 UNESCO inscribed nine Troodos churches on the World Heritage List, and a tenth was added in 2001. Five of them are on this route. Most are small, plain buildings under steep timber roofs covered with flat tiles, the typical shape of the mountain churches. Inside, though, they hold four centuries of wall painting, from the early 12th to the early 16th century. Along a single road you see the Komnenian art brought from Constantinople, the local painting of the mountain villages, and the meeting of Byzantine tradition with Italian art in the Venetian period.
The route
From Nicosia, the first stop is Panagia tis Asinou (Phorviotissa) outside Nikitari, with paintings dated 1105/6. The road continues to Galata in Solea. There, Panagia Podithou (1502) and the church of the Theotokos (1514), about a hundred metres away, show the Italo-Byzantine style of the 16th century. A little higher up, at Kakopetria, is Ayios Nikolaos tis Stegis, also on the UNESCO list and the oldest surviving monastery church in Cyprus. The road then climbs over the Troodos and descends into Marathasa: to Pedoulas for the Archangel Michael (1474), to Moutoullas for the Panagia (1280), and finally to the monastery of Ayios Ioannis Lampadistis, across the river from Kalopanagiotis. It fits into one day if you start early. If you would rather go slowly, split it into two days, one for Solea and one for Marathasa.
Practical notes
- The churches do not all open the same way. Some have a guard and set hours, while others are opened by a village caretaker or the priest. The Deputy Ministry of Tourism (visitcyprus.com) lists a contact number for each monument and warns that hours may change. Phone before you set out.
- These monuments are generally closed on public holidays.
- They are working churches: dress modestly, keep your voice down, and ask before photographing the frescoes.
- Ayios Ioannis Lampadistis has a small exhibition of icons. The monastery keeps its feast on 4 October.
Sources
- Wikipedia (en) – Painted Churches in the Troödos Region (en.wikipedia.org) · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wikipedia (en) – Galata, Cyprus (en.wikipedia.org) · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Holy Metropolis of Morphou – Monastery of Ayios Ioannis Lampadistis (immorfou.org.cy)
- Visit Cyprus – Panagia Podithou Church (visitcyprus.com)
- Visit Cyprus – Archangelos Michael Church, Pedoulas (visitcyprus.com)
- Visit Cyprus – Panagia tou Moutoulla Church (visitcyprus.com)
- Visit Solea – Church of Panagia Asinou (visitsolea.com)
- Cyprus Institute – Panagia tis Asinou (historic-graffiti.cyi.ac.cy)
- BYZART (University of Bologna) – Church of the Theotokos, Galata (historica.unibo.it)
The route
Driving: ≈ 1 h 10 min · 50 kmFrom the first stop to the last, not counting the visits; an estimate without traffic (OpenStreetMap).
- 1MonasteryΙερά Μονής Παναγίας της Φορβιώτισσας (Ασίνου)NikitariThe single-aisled, vaulted church of the Phorbia monastery. An inscription of 1105/6 over the south door names its founder, the magistros Nikephoros Ischyrios. The narthex was added in the later 12th century and repainted in 1332/3.
≈ 25 min · 21 km to the next stop
- 2MonasteryΙερά Μονή Καθολικά Παναγίας (Ποδίθου)GalataBuilt in 1502 with a gift from Demetre de Coron and his wife Helen, as the church of a monastery that lasted into the early 19th century. Its murals are in the Italo-Byzantine style. One timber roof covers both the church and the portico that runs round three sides.
Very close — on foot
- 3MonasteryΙερά Μονή Θεοτόκου (Αρχαγγέλου Μιχαήλ)GalataAbout a hundred metres from Podithou. Its paintings are dated 1514 and are linked with the painter Symeon Axentis. The large figure of the Archangel Michael beside the north door may explain why it is also called the Archangel's church.
≈ 22 min · 18 km to the next stop
- 4ChapelΠαρεκκλήσι Αρχαγγέλου Μιχαήλ (Μνημείο Ουνέσκο)PedoulasPainted in 1474 by Minas, a local painter, at the expense of the priest Basil Chamados. The donor and his family appear above the north door, offering the church to the Archangel. The wooden templon of the same date survives.
≈ 6 min · 2.3 km to the next stop
- 5ChapelΠαρεκκλήσι ΠαναγίαςMoutoullasOn the hill above the village. An inscription of 1280 names the donors, John of Moutoullas and his wife Irene, who hold a model of the church. These are the only precisely dated 13th-century wall paintings in Cyprus. A Last Judgement of the late 15th or early 16th century covers the outer north wall.
≈ 14 min · 8.7 km to the next stop
6MonasteryΙερά Μονή Αγίου Ιωάννη του ΛαμπαδιστήKalopanagiotiThree churches under one great timber roof. Ayios Herakleidios (11th century) has the oldest surviving wooden templon in Cyprus. The chapel of St John, built over his tomb, keeps his skull. The 'Latin' chapel (c. 1500) has the island's most complete set of Italo-Byzantine frescoes.