Agia Napa Monastery - Our Lady of the Forests Moní tis Áyia Nápas
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In the center of Agia Napa is the famous Monastery (Byzantine/Venetian), one of the last buildings erected in Cyprus by the Venetians, with a rock-cut church.
"Our Lady of the Forests" monastery is built over a cave in which an icon of the Virgin Mary was found by a hunter chasing his dog.
The monastery was founded in the 16th century by a Venetian nobleman's daughter who came here looking for a secluded retreat after her father refused to let her marry a commoner. She built two churches, one Catholic and one Orthodox, both of which are now under the same roof. The fountain house in the middle of the courtyard was built as her tomb and bears pictures of her parents, herself and a lion chasing a deer.
The church survived the Ottoman Turkish invasion unscathed and was still in use during that period. In 1668 it changed from a women's convent to a monastery and became one of the richest in the region. Later, in the 18th century, it was abandoned and fell into disrepair.
The monastery now belongs to the World Council of Churches and serves as a conference center with a block of rooms in which visitors can sometimes stay.
By the south wall is a gateway with a pool overlooked by a huge sycamore fig tree, which is said to be 600 years old.
"Our Lady of the Forests" monastery is built over a cave in which an icon of the Virgin Mary was found by a hunter chasing his dog.
The monastery was founded in the 16th century by a Venetian nobleman's daughter who came here looking for a secluded retreat after her father refused to let her marry a commoner. She built two churches, one Catholic and one Orthodox, both of which are now under the same roof. The fountain house in the middle of the courtyard was built as her tomb and bears pictures of her parents, herself and a lion chasing a deer.
The church survived the Ottoman Turkish invasion unscathed and was still in use during that period. In 1668 it changed from a women's convent to a monastery and became one of the richest in the region. Later, in the 18th century, it was abandoned and fell into disrepair.
The monastery now belongs to the World Council of Churches and serves as a conference center with a block of rooms in which visitors can sometimes stay.
By the south wall is a gateway with a pool overlooked by a huge sycamore fig tree, which is said to be 600 years old.
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View of the Agia Napa Monastery.
Grounds of the Agia Napa Monastery.
