The Pitsillia area lies on the eastern slopes of the Troodos
mountain range. Picturesque villages cling to the mountain
side amid
vineyards, orchards of almond and
hazelnut trees, and an astonishing array of wild flowers. Pitsillia area is
reached either from
Llmassol, on
the Limassol-Ayios Theodoros-Agros Road, or Limassol-Kato Amiandos-Karvounas-Kyperounda
road, or from Nicosia
through Palaichori-Agros, or through Kakopetria-Karvounas-Kyperounda.
28 km north of Limassol on the south of the Troodos range, off the
Limassol-Agros road. In the middle of the village is the small
church of Ayios Mamas built in 1455 with wall
paintings some signed by Philip Goul.
45 km north of
Limassol
through Ayios Theodoros, Agros is the centre of the district. It has a good dry climate, gardens of
roses, cool springs and
hotels for vlsitors.
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.
45 km
south of Nicosia on the
Nicosia-Agros-Limassol road, and 15 km from Agros. The Church
of the Transfiguration of the Saviour
(tou
Sotiros) is an early 16th century chapel on the hill overlooking the beautiful old
village. 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 was built in the 16th century and is the main church of the
upper village. It
also has
four cycles of wall paintings.
Platanistassa village, 15 km
from Agros, 30 km off the Nicosia-Astromeritis road, turning left before Peristerona
village. A 15th
century
church, Iying about 3 km outside this very pleasant old village, retains the most complete cycles of
mural
paintings
of the second half of the 1 5th century in Cyprus. Visitors can ask for the key from the village
priest.
Lagoudhera
village,
is 15 km from Agros or off the
Kakopetria-Troodos-Limassol road (Karvounas crossroad)
12th
century church stands just
outside the village with some of the
finest frescoes of the late Comnenian style
(1192), prevailing throughout Greece, the
Balkans and Russia. Together with Assinou
church and that of Ayios
Nikolaos tis Steghis, it is considered to be one of the
most important Byzantine churches on the island.
Visitors can ask for the key and be escorted by the priest who can be found
in the premises next to the
church.
7 km off the Kakopetria-Troodos
road, after
Spilia village.
The village's early 16th century church, containing frescoes of the same period, is
dedicated to the Virgin Mary
(Panayia).
3 km below
Kato
Amiandos, off the Karvouna-Limassol road, 32 km
from Limassol. 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 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.
On the main
Nicosia-Troodos road, 56 km from Nicosia and 56 km
from Limassol (via
Kato Amiantos and Saittas). The picturesque mountain
villages of Galata and Kakopetria,
situated in the Solea valley (or otherwise
the apple valley), are popular hill resorts
with a good range of
hotels and restaurants, but also retaining much of the old folk
architecture. Both villages are famous
for
their Byzantine churches. Other important villages, in the area are: Evrikhou, Flassou and
Korakou.
The church of Ayios Nikolaos tis Stegis
(St.
Nicholas of
the Roof) stands about 5 km above the village and once belonged to a monastery. It is
completely painted with
murals dating from the
I 11th to the 17th century and, is considered one of the most
interesting Byzantine churches on the
island. The small 16th century
church of Panayia Theotokos, off the
main road, retains about half of its murals and the
church of Ayios Georghios Perachoritis, on
the east of
the village, has most of its wall paintings belonging to the first
quarter of the 16th century.
The old
quarter of the village has been declared protected and old houses have been
restored.
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 and stands in the
middle of the old village. 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, which
appeared
on the island towards the end of the 15th century.
The small church of Ayia Paraskevi on the old
Kakopetria-Galata road has paintings
of 1514. The old Inn which has been
restored "the Hani Kalliana" is also
interesting.
5 km from
Nikitari village, off
the main Nicosia-Troodos-Limassol road, around 20 km north of Kakopetria. 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. Visitors should ask for the priest of Nikitari
village to escort
them.
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, such as
Kalopanayiotis,
Moutoullas, Pedhoulas and then up to Prodhromos
and Kykko. The road is signposted to Kykko, and turns off the
main Nicosia-Troodos
road just below Evrykhou.
Marathassa is also reached from Limassol-Platres-Prodhromos road (around 65 km
from
Limassol)
The village is famous for its sulphur springs
and the famous
church of Ayios loannis Lampadistis. Originally a monastery, it is a complex of several buildings of various
dates and
contains excellent frescoes of the 13th and 15th centuries. One of the biggest religious fairs in
the
valley is held here on St.
John's day, 4 October.
Less than a
kilometre further up, is Moutoullas
village with its tiny 1 3th century chapel of Panayia tou
Moutoulla, one of the earliest
dated examples of the steep-pitched wooden
roof type with frescoes dating to
1280. Visitors can obtain the key from the
adjacent house. Also at Moutoullas, the tradition
continues for
carved wooden basins.
The third village up the
mountain is Pedhoulas, 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. Visitors can
obtain the key from the adjacent
house, or leave a message for the village
priest at the coffee shop.
20 km west
of Pedhoulas
village.
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, 3 km west of the Monastery, not far from his native village of
Panayia. Religious fairs are held at
Kykko on 15 August and 8 September.
5
km north west of Platres, (40 km from Limassol), on the Platres-Prodhromos road. A beautiful monastery
standing amid pine trees, it was originally founded in the 13th century, but the present church dates from
731. The
church
contains a priceless icon of :he Virgin Mary brought from Asia Minor, plated with silver-gilt
and many other valuable
icons. A large
religious fair is held in the grounds on 15 August.
Deserted
monastery near Platres in an idyllic etting,
which includes a nearby waterfal!.
Krassochoria (The Wine Villages)
The area,
known as the
'Krassohoria' (the wine Villages) is found on the south
side of me Troodos range. Old traditions are kept
alive in these villages, where the cultivation the vineyards, and
wine-making are still the main occupation
of most of the
inhabitants. This is the area which produces famous local red dry
wine. Main villages in the
area are Omodhos, Arsos, Pachna. The
area is reached from the Limassol- Paphos road, turning right
after
Erimi village or from Limassol-Platres road.
11 km
south
west of Platres. A wine producing village, once the property Sir John de Brie,
Prince of Galilee, with
the Monastery of
Stavros (Holy Cross), standing in the centre of the village. The monastery contains old
icons, excellent wood carving and
other ecclesiastical objects of interest, as well as a small National
struggle museum.
An old House, with a wine-press
known as Linos, is being 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.
4 km west of
Platres.
Famous
for its
pottery and as the birthplace of Archbishop Sophronios II. Visitors can see the Pilavakion private
pottery
collection.
1/2 km south-west of Perapedhi, off the
Limassol-Troodos road.
An attractive wine-producing village with the single-aisled vaulted church of Ayia
Mavri,
typical
of 12th century architecture with murals of the late 15th century.
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