Akourdaleia Cave Church
The countryside of Paphos holds many secrets. We found one of them while I was looking for potential gorges on Google Maps. Labelled as a Cave Church, a Church and a Cave, it was obvious that there was something worth investigating. So we set off to the area between Arodes and Akourdaleia, to see what we could find.
A Hunting We Shall Go...
I've always had a soft spot for finding remote gorges, and they crop up in the most unexpected places. They are normally inaccessible though, which is why they remain remote I guess. The hills around Akourdaleia are ripe for exploration, as they consist of a multitude of steep valleys criss-crossed by farm tracks.
Panagia Chrysospiliotissa
While studying the map, I noticed that if you took the road from Kathikas to Polis as far as the Arodes junction, but turned right instead of left, you would come across an interesting feature: meet Panagia Chrysospiliotissa. Now, according to the map there is also a cave here. Indeed, when we first arrived, we drove past the church and found it. But let's take a look at the church first.
Inside
From what I can determine, "Chrysospiliotissa" means "Our Lady of the Golden Cave". This indicates that the church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Indeed, there are a number of "Mary The Guide" murals inside.
New Murals
The church itself looks fairly new.
Absent Friends
Unusually, I didn't see any murals depicting St George.
Page 1 of 5
Related Blogs:
The Murals of Agios Nikolaos
We've featured a lot of churches in our blogs. This is not surprising, as they are lovely building ornately decorated, and great places for quiet reflection on a hot summer's day. The more modern churches often have fantastic murals which take your breath away. But this is not a new tradition. A visit to the remote church of Agios Nikolaos, near Galataria, will show you that fully immersive church murals have been around for centuries...
Agios Georgios, Choulou
As you approach Choulou from Letymbou and the Ezousa Valley, you will pass a brown sign on your left indicating that the Church of Agios Georgios is down the next turn. If you have quarter of an hour to spare, drive down the road, at least until you get to the little church, and have a look,
Agios Charalambos
Let's take a little break from flowers. I know that Cyprus looks lovely in the Spring, and that it abounds with colour and life. But it' time to take a break. With the Polemi Tulip Festival fast approaching, and the knowledge that another road trip from Max is just around the corner too, I think we need to look at something without petals.
Agios Georgios, Universal
The upper reaches of the Universal Area of Paphos are steadily being developed. New estates seem are being constructed all the time. Yesterday, while driving through, we stopped by a church that had sprung up before any surrounding houses had been built. I went for a wander and this is what I found...Related Pages
MapAkourdaleia Cave Church
The countryside of Paphos holds many secrets. We found one of them while I was looking for potential gorges on Google Maps. Labelled as a Cave Church, a Church and a Cave, it was obvious that there was something worth investigating. So we set off to the area between Arodes and Akourdaleia, to see what we could find.
Good Pages To Visit
FB PagePaphos Life on Facebook
Like us on Facebook and stay notified of new blog posts.
FB PageOur Facebook Chat Group
Paphos Chat has been created for people who like our site and want to chat using Facebook. You can also easily upload photos of any size here. A lot of people are members of the Facebook chat group and the main forum. It's entirely up to you.
ListBlog Locations
Planning a day out? Then use our map of blog locations as a handy guide. Some of the places we visit our closer to each other than you might think, so take a look and start planning your next adventure...
eBookCyprus Road Trip 01: the Kathikas - Panagia Loop
Let me take you on a journey around the region of Paphos, Cyprus. Starting at Paphos itself, we travel to Akoursos, then Kathikas, Kritou Terra and Simou. We continue past Lasa and Kannaviou, before taking in the delights of Panagia. Getting a bit more adventurous, we visit the abandoned villages of Statos and Agios Fotios, before passing through Choulou, Letymbou and Polemi, and rejoining the main Paphos - Polis road.
The route is suitable for all types of vehicle, and requires no off-roading. The guide contains about 130 photographs including shots of all the road signs you need to pay attention to, as well as some of the highlights you may experience along the way.
There are also several maps which will help you keep your bearings.
You can do this journey in a day, or you can break it up into chunks. You can also do it in reverse, to get some completely different views. It is entirely up to you.
