Overview
Considered as one of the biggest villages of the Limassol district, the village of Pelendri is a popular sightseeing destination for both locals and visitors since it is the home of a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the church of Timios Stavros.
Built as the religious site at a cemetery in the late twelfth century, the church of Timios Stavros is also one of the 10 painted churches of the Troodos region.
Although the original structure of the church was mostly destroyed, the apse has survived and remains intact. Rebuilt in the fourteenth century, the current building also includes several additions and alterations made throughout various periods.
According to an inscription in the apse, the original wall paintings date to 1171 / 1172 with fragments of the decoration preserved on the apse under the layer of frescoes from the fourteenth century. During the second half of the fourteenth century, the main part of the church was painted by at least two artists.
The north aisle of the church served as a private chapel for the family of the Latin feudal lord of the area, Ioannis Lusignan (1353-1374/1375), and the village itself was once the property of Jean de Lusignan, son of the Lusignan King of Cyprus, Hugh IV.
Historically, Pelendri is known as a settlement that existed during the Middle Ages. Nowadays, inhabitants mostly work in agriculture, growing fruit trees and vegetables in gardens and in the fields. The village provides authentic examples of traditional rural architecture and offers a pleasant day out visiting its narrow streets and pretty gardens.
