New blog: Sinti Monastery

[Dominic]

It's time for another guest blog, and this time Max has taken a break from his minerals to show us somewhere a bit more spiritual. Over to you Max...

Sinti Monastery is a very important ancient monument and not far away from Paphos, in the beautiful Xeros River Valley. I thought I would take a round trip. In order that people can visit the place all year round (even after a good Winter's rain) in a normal car I took the longer route over the hills where the roads nowadays are all properly surfaced.

Read the article and chat about it below...

[kansas]

The valley is beautiful. We've walked to the Monastery following the river bed. It's quite a hike but worth it.

[Ams]

Thanks for the blog Max, I do like Panagia tou Sinti, it's quite beautiful and peaceful sitting there in the middle of Xeros valley. I have been a few times, always driving up valley following the river (in a 4x4 with a little bit of fording the river, though this was in May/June where there isn't too much water to drive through). I found the road down from Salamiou a few years ago and drove down, but it wasn't finished so I didn't get all the way the monastery then, but I did get to see what I am 90% sure were vultures flying around high in the sky. If I remember right I have also seen a signpost to the monastery on the other side of the valley, from Pentalia I think, though I have never tried it.

[Kili01]

I've been there on a private off road run. We went there using the track along the bottom of the valley by the riverbed which Max mentions. The visit to this mosastery was fascinating as also in the group was a well known man who is expert at divining for both water and other sub terrainean things, He uses the copper 'rods' as tools. He can ask them qustions and in his skilled hands they revealed some of the hidden things about Sintra.
Dee

[Dominic]

He can ask them qustions and in his skilled hands they revealed some of the hidden things about Sintra.
Dee

Such as?

[PaphosAL]

Excellent blog thanks, Max! Amazing photos and top quality map as well. Argonaftis Donkey Sanctuary is fairly close to the monastery, so a pity you didn't call in and enjoy a cold Keo at their open air (but shaded) bar. When we visited (Feb 2001), there wasn't a single donkey to be seen, though. They were all asses / mules, LOL!

Beautiful restoration on the church! But are you sure about the 1997 completion date for this? As I'm certain that when we drove past Sinti Monastery in 2001 (destination Argonaftis), it was 100% ruins... A restored church on the site would have acted as a magnet for us to go and investigate further.

That's an impressive bridge they have built to cross the Xeros River below Nata. Let's see how it used to look in June 2003- with the ancient Toyota 2WD twin cab in the foreground and Nata in the background. But HOW an antiquity like that water mill, right behind me in this shot, ended up on private land beggars belief!

Nata River A.JPG (121.62 KiB) Viewed 10383 times

You can tell from the shadows under my truck that we're pretty close to the Summer Solstice, yet look at the flow of fresh mountain water the Xeros is still carrying across the old concrete ford in the middle of June!

These blogs make doubly enjoyable reading and viewing when you've been there yourself. Thanks for creating and sharing with us, Max!

Cheers- AL

[Jimgward]

Many thanks. Very enjoyable read and beautiful little Church with lovely dome and icons...

[Dominic]

Beautiful restoration on the church! But are you sure about the 1997 completion date for this? As I'm certain that when we drove past Sinti Monastery in 2001 (destination Argonaftis), it was 100% ruins... A restored church on the site would have acted as a magnet for us to go and investigate further.

You must have supped too many beers. Found this from another source:

The monastery was in ruins until 1994 when the restoration works started and completed 4 years later. At 1998, Panagia tou Sinti monastery was fully restored with its significant historic and archaeological value.

[grb]

There is a legend about Sinti (cited by Gwynneth der Parthog in 'Byzantine and Medieval Cyprus') that the craftsman who built it, when he had finished, invited his old master to look at it. The former apprentice was particularly pleased with the dome so they went on it to inspect it. From there, the master could see another church (now ruined) that he had built. In a jealous rage, when he realised how poor his building was compared to Sinti, he pushed his former apprentice off the roof, which killed him immediately.

[PaphosAL]

Okay, but we are all still baffled and bemused as to what the guy 'questioning' his copper divining rods actually found buried under Sinti Monastery??

Cheers- AL

[cyprusmax47]

Excellent blog thanks, Max! Amazing photos and top quality map as well.

That's an impressive bridge they have built to cross the Xeros River below Nata. Let's see how it used to look in June 2003- with the ancient Toyota 2WD twin cab in the foreground and Nata in the background. But HOW an antiquity like that water mill, right behind me in this shot, ended up on private land beggars belief!




Cheers- AL

The watermill is part of a private property where people live and run also a cattery. Their stone house is the renovated old watermill... and is called Choletria Mill Cattery. http://choletriamillcattery.com

Max

[trevnhil]

And what a brilliant cattery it is.. We have used it and would recommend it wholeheartedly .

[Dominic]

We considered that house ourselves when we were looking for properties prior to moving here. I am glad we opted for Polemi instead though.

[cyprusmax47]

We considered that house ourselves when we were looking for properties prior to moving here. I am glad we opted for Polemi instead though.

You can't compare beautiful Polemi area with an property at the Xeros river bed. How long time ago was it when you had a look at this house?

Max

[Dominic]

We didn't get as far as looking around the house. It sold before we got here. I agree though, Polemi is much nicer.

[cyprusmax47]

I found a link from the village of Kelokedara which explains the age of the Monastery which is older than I thought... and more infos.
http://www.agiamarinakelokedaron.org/en ... asinti-len

[PaphosAL]

Cannot find Sinti Monastery (nor Argonaftis Donkey Sanctuary) down 5km in the Xeros river valley below Salaminou village, on the Bing satellite map. That's odd...

As an aside, when you drove through the Xeros river ford, then climbed uphill through Old Choletria, on your right there used to be a wonderful Ostrich ranch (supplying the local tavernas with low-cholesterol meat).

We spotted a number of such Ostrich ranches scattered around Paphos on our hill walks. Dead funny to watch, chasing each other around line astern, LOL! Mind you, I don't think you'd want to be in the same enclosure as them- awesome birds, close up..

Do they still have such Ostrich ranches, I wonder? Cheers- AL

[cyprusmax47]

We spotted a number of such Ostrich ranches scattered around Paphos on our hill walks. Dead funny to watch, chasing each other around line astern, LOL! Mind you, I don't think you'd want to be in the same enclosure as them- awesome birds, close up..

Do they still have such Ostrich ranches, I wonder? Cheers- AL

Englezakis family from South Africa started a Ostrich ranch next to my citrus farm down from Neo Chorio in the 90th. After some years they moved from there near Steni on the road from Polis to Peristerona. In the meantime the family runs a Farm near Nicosia at Agios Malountas.

Max

[cyprusmax47]

Many websites show this two icons as important, so I thought I add a picture detail, where one can see also the beautiful woodwork...


Max

[PaphosAL]

That is a beutiful photo, Max! I finally found Sinti Monastery on Bing Maps, and it is actually labelled "Panagia of Sintris" as well.

Amazing, the amount of farming and cultivation going on either side of the Xeros and around the monastery!

Cheers- AL