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 Nine
Byzantine churches in the Troodos mountains, are included
in the official UNESCO list of the World Heritage. These
are:
Stavros
tou Ayiasmati, Panayia tou Araka, Timiou Stavrou at
Pelendri, Ayios Nicolaos tis Stegis, Panayia Podithou,
Panagyia tis Asinou, Ayios Ioannis Lampadistis, Panayia
tou Moutoulla, and Archangel Michael at Pedhoulas.
The
impressive Troodos mountain range stretches across most of
the western side of Cyprus, offering cool sanctuary and
idyllic hours spent in long walks in its scented pine
forests in summer and winter sports and skiing in winter.
Famous
mountain resorts, Byzantine monasteries and churches
perched on mountain peaks, and nestling in its valleys and
picturesque mountain villages clinging to terraced hill
slopes, make up the splendour of Troodos.The area has been
known since ancient times for its mines, and in the
Byzantine period it became a great centre of Byzantine art,
as churches and monasteries were built in the mountains,
away from the threatened coastline.
In
the Troodos mountain range, besides Machairas to the east,
and the actual Troodos district around Mount Olympus (height
1951 metres), there are four other districts, each of
which has its own character and separate charm.
These
districts are:
Pitsillia
to the east of Mount Olympus; Solea Valley; Marathasa
Valley to the north of Mount Olympus; and Krassochoria,
the Wine Villages, to the south (north-west of the
Limassol district). These are easy to reach from either
Limassol or Nicosia.
 Pitsilia
The Pitsilia area lies on the eastern slopes of the
Troodos mountains range. Picturesque villages cling to the
mountainside amid vineyards, orchards of almond and
hazelnut trees, and an astonishing array of wild flowers.
Louvaras
In the middle of the village is the small church of Ayios
Mamas built in 1495 with wall paintings signed by Philip
Goul.
Agros
Agros is the centre of the district. It has a good dry
climate, gardens of roses, cool springs and hotels for
visitors.
A
19th century church in Byzantine style now stands on the
site of a 9th century monastery of Panayia Eleousa Agrou,
founded by monks from Constantinople.
 Palaichori
The Church of the transfiguration of the Saviour (tou
Sotiros) is an early 16th century chapel on the hill
overlooking the beautiful old villages. Its interior is
completely painted with one of the most accomplished
series of murals, of the post-Byzantine period in Cyprus.
The church of Panayia Chrysopantanassa, built in the 16th
century, is the main church of the upper village. It also
has four cycles of wall paintings.
 Platanistassa
Stavros tou Ayiasmati, a 15th century church, lying about
3km outside this very pleasant old village, retains the
most complete cycles of wall paintings of the second half
of the 15th century in Cyprus.
 Lagoudhera
Panayia tou Araka.
This
12th century church stands just outside the village and
has some of the finest frescoes of the late Comnenian
style (c.1192) prevailing throughout Greece, the Balkans
and Russia.
Together
with Asinou church and that of Ayios Nikolaos tis Stegis,
it is considered to be one of the most important Byzantine
churches on the island.
Kourdali
The village's early 16th century church with frescoes of
the same period, is dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Panayia).
 Pelendri
Timiou Starvrou.
Once
the property of Jean de Lusignan, son of the Lusignan King
of Cyprus, Hugh IV. There are two interesting churches,
the 14th century church of Timiou Stavrou with beautiful
wall paintings and the 14th century church of Panayia
Katholiki in the middle of the old village which dates to
the early 16th century with paintings of the Italo-Byzantine
style.
Solea
Valley
The Solea valley is famous for its apples, its Byzantine
churches and its picturesque villages. Galata and
Kakopetria, villages preserving much of their traditional
folk architecture, are popular hill resorts. Both villages
are famous for their Byzantine churches. Other important
villages in the area are Evrykhou, Flassou, and Korakon.
 Kakopetria
The church of Ayios Nikolaos tis Stegis (St. Nicholas of
the Roof) stands about 5km above the village and once
belonged to a monastery. It is completely painted with
murals dating from the 11th to the 17th century and is
considered one of the most interesting Byzantine churches
on the island. It gets its name from the steep pitched
wooden roof which was built to protect it from
climatological conditions. The small 16th century church
of Panayia Theotokos, off the main road, retains about
half of its murals. The church of Ayios Georghios
Perachoritis, to the east of the village, has some very
original wall paintings belonging to the first quarter of
the 16th century.
The
old quarter of the village has been declared a protected
area and old houses have been restored.
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 Galata
Panayia Podithou.
There
are four painted churches in and around the village. The
church of Ayios Sozomenos dates to the early 16th century
and retains a complete series of frescoes in the post-Byzantine
style. The church of the Archangel Michael or Panayia
Theotokos is a timber-roofed chapel just below the village
and is completely painted in the post-Byzantine style of
the early 16th century. Nearby, is the larger church of
Panayia Podithou which once belonged to a monastery. It
was erected in 1502 and its paintings are of the Italo-Byzantine
style. The small church of Ayia Paraskevi on the old
Kakopetria-Galata road has paintings of 1514. The old inn,
the Hani Kallianon, which has been restored is an
interesting example of rural architecture.
Nikitari
Asinou church.
An
early 12th century church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary,
with frescoes of the 12th century and later periods,
considered to be among the finest examples of Byzantine
mural painting in the island.
Marathassa
Valley
This fertile valley, well-known for its cherries on the
north side of the Troodos range, offers an alternative
route to Troodos, through the lovely mountain villages of
Kalopanayiotis, Moutoullas, Pedhoulas, Prodhromos and
Kykkos.
 Kalopanayiotis
Ayios Ioannis Lampadistis.
The
village is famous for its sulphur springs and the famous
church of Ayios Ioannis Lampadistis with excellent
frescoes of the 13th and 15th centuries. Originally a
monastery, it is a complex of several buildings of various
dates. One of the biggest religious fairs in the valley is
held here on 4 October, St. John's day.
Moutoullas
Panayia tou Moutoulla.
The
tiny 13th century chapel of Panayia tou Moutoulla, is one
of the earliest examples of the steep-pitched wooden roof
type. It has frescoes dating to 1280. The traditional
craft of carved wooden basins has been preserved in
Moutoullas.
 Pedhoulas
Archangelos Michael.
Pedhoulas
is a summer resort famous for its cherries. The painted
church of Archangel Michael stands in the lower part of
the village and dates from 1474.
Three
Old Monasteries
 Kykko
Monastery
The most famous and richest monastery in Cyprus. Founded
in 1100 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it possesses one
of the three surviving icons ascribed to St. Luke. The
icon, covered in silver gilt and enclosed in a shrine of
tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl, stands at the front of
the iconostasis. The first President of Cyprus, Archbishop
Makarios III served as a novice here. At his own wish, he
was buried at Throni, 3km west of the Monastery, not far
from his native village of Panayia.
Religious
fairs are held at Kykko on 15 August and 8 September.
 Troodhitissa
Monastery
This beautiful monastery standing amid pine trees, was
originally founded in the 13th century. The present church,
dating from 1731, contains many valuable icons including a
priceless silver-plated icon of the Virgin Mary from Asia
Minor. A large religious fair is held in the church
grounds on 15 August.
Mesa
Potamos Monastery
Deserted monastery near Platres in an idyllic setting,
with a nearby waterfall.
Krassochoria
The area, known as the "Krassochoria" (the Wine
Villages) is found on the south side of the Troodos range.
Old traditions are kept alive in these villages, where the
cultivation of the vineyards, and wine-making are still
the main occupation of most of the inhabitants. This is
the area which produces the famous local dry red wine.
Main villages in the area are Omodhos, Arsos, Pachna,
Kilani and Vasa.
 Omodhos
A wine producing village, once the property of Sir John de
Brie, Prince of Galilee, with the Monastery of Stavros (Holy
Cross), standing by the stone-paved square. The monastery
contains old icons, excellent wood carvings and other
ecclesiastical objects of interest, as well as a small
National Struggle museum.
An
old house, with a wine-press known as Linos, has been
restored and can also be visited. A wine festival is held
in the village every August, and there is a large
religious fair on 14 September.
Phini
Famous for its pottery and its loukoumi sweets. Visitors
can see the Pilavakion private pottery collection.
 Koilani
An attractive wine-producing village with the single-aisled
church of Ayia Mavri, typical of 12th century architecture
with murals of the late 15th century. The village also has
its own ecclesiastical museum.
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