Description of the attraction
The Church of Stavros-tou-Agiasmati is located a few kilometers from the villages of Platonistas and Agros near Nicosia.
In 1453, at this place, Orthodox Greeks, who fled from Constantinople after being captured by Turkish troops, founded a small monastery and they named it in the name of the Holy Cross. A little later, at the end of the 15th century, a monastery church was built there. It was a very small quadrangular building with a tiled roof and several arched niches in the side walls. In 1494, the renowned local artist Philip Goole decorated the inner walls of the temple with beautiful paintings, using several styles at once, including Byzantine and Italian. In addition to the walls, wooden beams supporting the roof of the building were also covered with frescoes.
The painting depicts scenes from the New Testament, as well as the faces of Orthodox saints. Although the drawings have survived quite well to our time, unfortunately, many faces have their eyes scratched out. According to legend, a Turkish soldier committed an outrage over the temple, who later paid dearly for his trick - he soon lost his sight and died tragically.
Around the 18th century, during the reign of the Turks on the island, the monastery was gradually abandoned by its inhabitants. Only the church survived, which was restored during the independence of Cyprus. After that, UNESCO included Stavros-tou-Agiasmati in the World Heritage List.
The church is located far enough in the mountains, so it is difficult to get to it. In addition, to get inside the building, it is advisable to arrange a visit in advance.
