The painted churches of Troodos — a UNESCO route
We include a separate route through the ten painted churches: it is one of the best ways to see the development of Byzantine and post-Byzantine painting on the island.
Routes
Troodos: frescoes, monasteries and the mountain road
This mountain route is built around small churches, monastic complexes and the way art was preserved far from large cities.
Question for the route
Why can a mountain church preserve more historical layers than a wealthy urban cathedral?
Stops on this route
Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis — Saint Nicholas of the Roof
We include the church as a clear example of a Cypriot mountain church protected by a large pitched timber roof.
Saint John Lampadistis at Kalopanagiotis
We visited the complex at Kalopanagiotis, where the architecture and wall paintings allow several artistic and historical layers to be compared.
Kykkos Monastery
The principal monastery in our family route is associated with the tradition of a miraculous icon, repeated fires and a rich museum collection.
Panagia Trooditissa Monastery
A narrow road leads to a monastery whose history is associated with an icon hidden during the period of Iconoclasm.