The Painted Churches in the Troödos Region is a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
in the
Troödos Mountains
Troodos (sometimes spelled Troödos; el, Τρόοδος ; tr, Trodos Dağları) is the largest mountain range in Cyprus, located in roughly the center of the island. Its highest peak is Mount Olympus ( el, Όλυμπος), also known as Chion ...
of central
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
. The complex comprises ten
Byzantine churches and monasteries richly decorated with
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
and post-Byzantine
mural
A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage.
Word mural in art
The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...
s:
#
Church of Agios Nikolaos (St. Nicholas) tis Stegis in
Kakopetria
Kakopetria is a town in Cyprus located southwest of the capital, Nicosia, on the north facing foothills of the Troodos Mountains. It stands at an altitude of 667 metres and it is the highest village in the Solea Valley. The community has about 1 ...
: An 11th-century monastery and the oldest surviving
katholikon
A ''katholikon'' or catholicon ( gr, καθολικόν) or ''sobor'' ( Slavonic: съборъ) refers to one of three things in the Eastern Orthodox Church:
* The cathedral of a diocese.
* The major church building (temple) of a monastery corre ...
in Cyprus
#Agios Ioannis (St. John) Lampadistis Monastery in
Kalopanagiotis: A 13th-century monastery
#Church of
Panagia
Panagia ( el, Παναγία, fem. of , + , the ''All-Holy'', or the ''Most Holy''; pronounced ) (also transliterated Panaghia or Panajia), in Medieval and Modern Greek, is one of the titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern ...
(The Virgin) Phorviotissa (Asinou) in
Nikitari
Nikitari ( el, Νικητάρι) is a village in Cyprus. It is located in the Nicosia District.
UNESCO site— Panagia tis Asinou
Very close to Nikitari (5 km) is the church of Asinou, ''Panagia tis Asinou'' ( el, Παναγία της Ασ ...
: A 12th-century church
#
Church of Panagia (The Virgin) tou Arakou in
Lagoudhera
Lagoudera ( el, Λαγουδερά; tr, Lagudera) is a village in the Nicosia District of Cyprus, located near Chandria.
Lagoudera village is about 50 km from Nicosia under Madari peak, the islands second highest peak on the Troodos mounta ...
: A 12th century church
#Church of Panagia (The Virgin) in
Moutoullas
Moutoullas ( el, Μουτουλλάς [], tr, Mudulla) is a mountain village in the Nicosia District of Cyprus, at an elevation of in Marathasa Valley. In 2011, it had a population of 174.
The old village church, the 13th-century chapel of ''Pa ...
: A 13th-century chapel and the earliest example of steep-pitched wooden roofs
#Church of Archangelos Michael (Archangel Michael) in
Pedoulas
Pedoulas ( gr, Πεδουλάς) is a village in the Nicosia District of Cyprus, located at an altitude of in the Troodos Mountains, 4 km south of Moutoullas. It lies in Marathasa Valley. The name is derived from the words ''pediada'' (va ...
: A late 15th-century church
#Church of Timios Stavros (Holy Cross) in
Pelendri
Pelendri ( gr, Πελένδρι, tr, Pelendri) is a village in the Limassol District of Cyprus.
Location
Pelendri is located below the Troodos Mountains, in the region of Pitsilia. It is located on a barren hillside, at an altitude of 800 meter ...
: A church containing unique 14th-century wall paintings
#Church of Panagia (The Virgin) Podithou in
Galata
Galata is the former name of the Karaköy neighbourhood in Istanbul, which is located at the northern shore of the Golden Horn. The district is connected to the historic Fatih district by several bridges that cross the Golden Horn, most notabl ...
: An early-16th century church
#Church of Stavros (Holy Cross) Agiasmati in
Platanistasa
Platanistasa (Greek: Πλατανιστάσα) is a village in the Nicosia District of Cyprus, located 14 km southwest of Mitsero. Platanistasa is in the northern side of Troodos in Pitsilia region. The average altitude of Platanistasa is 940 met ...
: A 14th-century church
#Church of Agia Sotira (of the Transfiguration of the Savior) tou Soteros in
Palaichori Oreinis: A 16th-century church.
Initially nine of these churches were designated by UNESCO in 1985 with the church in Palaichori added to the list in 2001.
The Church of Panagia Chrysokourdaliotissa in Kourdali,
Spilia, was submitted as a potential further extension in 2002 and currently resides on the
Tentative List.
Description
In 965 AD, Cyprus was annexed by the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
in the
Arab-Byzantine wars. Over a period of 500 years until the 16th century, many Byzantine churches were constructed in the Troödos Region.
In fact, this regions holds one of the greatest concentrations of monasteries and churches in the former Byzantine Empire. The World Heritage Site includes a variety of churches, ranging from small chapels to grand monasteries. These site demonstrate the range of architectural and artistic influences affecting Cyprus over the entire Byzantine reign.
However, all sites display some architectural elements that are unique to Cyprus, including steep-pitched wooden roofs with tiling.
See also
Explore the UNESCO Listed Painted Churches in the Troodos Region in 3D. The IH-AT platform
*
List of painted churches in Cyprus
There are over sixty churches in Cyprus with Byzantine and post-Byzantine wall paintings. Of these, ten that are situated in the Troodos Mountains have been inscribed jointly on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the Painted Churches in the T ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Painted Churches in the Troodos Region
Byzantine church buildings in Cyprus
Byzantine art
World Heritage Sites in Cyprus
Roman Cyprus
Troodos Mountains