Stunning treasure: Timios Stavros Monastery Anogyra

[cyprusmax47]

I was very surprised when I visited this ancient place this week and I believe it deserves much more attention. It is much older than Sinti Monastery where is such a media hype about it and there are very unusual frescoes as well in the church.

To find the place is quite easy: from Paphos you drive on the motorway until exit Evdimou, and through that village it is signposted: Anogyra/Monastery. Just 1 km outside of Anogyra, right on the main road it is, one can't miss it.

The church is from the 15th century built over the foundations of an much older early Christian basilica


These photos are from the main road and show the massive construction of the ancient basilica




here towards the entrance of the church with a massive piece of column, perhaps used previously in an old olive mill...




the other side of the whole complex


now a look inside the barrel-vaulted church with single nave and dome


Wall paintings are in Palaiologan style and rare examples of this technique on the whole Island




this photo shows the other side of the church where are no frescoes left, but an ancient column holding the cross


back to the outside


again to notice the massive blocks the foundation is sitting




So that's it before it gets boring for some.

What I also recognized next to the Monastery was a large area with remains of even older buildings, perhaps destroyed from the large quake in the 3th century which also flattened Kourion.

Here a copy from the Department of Antiquities, concerning that area:

The main objective of archaeological exploration in the vicinity of the village of Anogyra was to conduct a geomagnetic survey at the site of Anogyra-Tsoulloufatesena, opposite the medieval monastery of Timios Stavros (Holy Cross). The total investigated area measures around 0.3 hectares. Although impressive architectural remains could not be detected due to the small contrast of the magnetic properties of the limestone walls and the extremely rocky soil, nevertheless, it is almost certain that a large building complex lies in this area. This is evidenced by the presence of building remains in trenches that were investigated in the past, displaced cut stone blocks, a stone weight from an olive oil press and ceramic material (fragments of tiles, large clay vessels and jugs), primarily dating to the 3rd – 4th century AD.

So finally my verdict about the place: I liked it much more than Sinti Monastery due to the fact that this ancient site is nearly 1000 years older and my main interest is the Cypriot history before Christ.

Max

[Yioula]

Thanks you Max for the fabulous photos
Anogyra is one of my favourite villages it’s a very well kept being a Heritage Village, it has a great sense of community with various things going on.

[cyprusmax47]

Glad, you like my pics from that ancient place. North of Anogyra are excavations, going on since many years and recently new foundations are found... I am going to post that as well in the near future...

Max

[smudger]

The inside if the church looks as though it may be an active worship place?? Do you know if it is Max?

[smudger]

deleted

[cyprusmax47]

Yes it is, but not only that, every August, the place lures crowds from near and far with a religious festival that takes place in the church yard on the first of the month.

Max

[cyprusmax47]

Here another photo from the wall paintings which style I have seen before, but can't remember where.
They are some of the rare examples of Palaiologan art on the island. It is believed that these paintings ended up in Cyprus after the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453.



If anybody is more interested in that style of art in Cyprus, here a nice link https://www.cyprushighlights.com/en/mor ... 1261-1489/

Max