The Monastery of Kykkos is dedicated to Virgin Mary and it is located in the region of Marathasa. It is built on top of the mountain, at an altitude of 1318 meters northwest of Troodos. In the monastery you will see one of the three icons attributed to St. Luke the Evangelist. The icon is covered in silver gilt and is placed in a case made of tortoise shell and mother of pearl. It is located in front of the iconostasis.
The monastery was founded between the 11th and early 12th centuries, during the reign of Alexios I Komnenos (1081-1118 AD). Unfortunately, it was burned down several times and nothing remains from the original building. Cypriot hermit Isaiah miraculously cured the emperor's daughter of an incurable illness. As a reward, he asked for the icon of the Virgin that was kept in the imperial palace in Constantinople. The emperor was sad losing his precious treasure but nonetheless, he sent it to Cyprus along with funds to pay for the construction of a monastery where they could keep the heirloom. At the request of the hermit, the emperor's representative in Cyprus also donated three villages to the monastery. All “gifts” were confirmed by the emperor and therefore, the monastery was established by imperial decree.
The first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, served here as a novice monk. Upon his wish, he was buried on top of the throne, three kilometers west of the monastery, not far from his birthplace. The monastery produces a variety of alcoholic drinks and hosts religious fairs on September 8th (Birth of the Virgin) and August 15th (Dormition of the Virgin).
Open hours
- November - May: Daily, 10:00 - 16:00
- June - October: Daily, 10:00 - 18:00
Admission: 5€
