Overview
The hills above the town of Paphos provide a breathtaking view of the coastal town as well as a number of traditional, small villages which bring out the essence of rural life.
Not very far away from two such villages, those of Tala and Tsada, stands the Ayios Neophytos Monastery which is today manned by a few monks.
The Ayios Neophytos Monastery was founded in the twelfth century by the hermit Neophytos, who carved a cave into a mountain located at the mouth of a picturesque valley, just outside the village of Tala in Paphos.
The hermit’s cave, called the ‘Enkleistra,’ is decorated with some of the finest examples of Byzantine frescoes, dating from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries. The monastery has a noteworthy ecclesiastical museum, and its church (built later) also contains some of the finest Post-Byzantine icons, dating to the sixteenth century.
Housed within the monastery is a museum which features a number of religious items such as manuscripts, holy utensils, presly garments, old books, jewellery as well as a collection of Cypriot pottery and maps.
Note: Opening and closing times as well as entrance fees, are subject to alterations without notice. Visitors are advised to check before visiting.
