Kykkos Monastery
Cyprus's richest and most famous monastery, high in the forested western Troodos, home to a revered icon of the Virgin and a remarkable museum.
Photo: Berthold Werner / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Kykkos was founded around 1100 under the Byzantine emperor Alexios Komnenos, and it houses an icon of the Virgin traditionally attributed to St Luke. The present buildings are later, after fires, but they are lavishly decorated, with gold mosaics and frescoes filling the arcades.
The monastery museum holds an outstanding collection of icons, manuscripts and church treasures. About 2 km uphill, Throni hill holds the tomb of Archbishop Makarios III and a fine mountain viewpoint.
Good to know
At about 1,300 m, it is noticeably cooler than the coast. Modest dress is required, with shoulders and knees covered.
Perks nearby
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Troodos: more places
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