Overview
Visiting Kykkos Monastery is a must if in the area of Troodos. Within its grounds is an impressive museum exhibiting icons, holy objects, woodcarvings, vestments, embroideries that form a display of the monastery’s history and adoration.
The museum is divided into four rooms. The first one exhibits antiquities, the second room holds pieces from the Early Christian and Byzantine period, post-byzantine vessels, vestments and ornaments and the third room has icons, frescoes and woodcarvings. In the last room visitors can explore manuscripts, documents and books.
A must-see in the museum is an icon, one of three famous icons, attributed to Agios Loukas the Evangelist. Covered in silver gilt, the icon is in a shrine made of tortoise shell and mother of pearl, making it an impressive icon to witness.
Even simply walking around the museum will be a feast for your eyes, as colourful iconography decorates the walls, a traditional element of Greek Orthodox religion and one you’ll spot in the churches across the island -though certainly not as stunning as here.
Fun fact: The first President of the Republic of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, served here as a novice. He was buried on the summit of Throni, 3 kilometres west of the monastery, (as he wished) and not far from his native village of Panayia. The monastery produces zivania and a variety of other alcoholic drinks and holds religious fairs on September 8th (Birth of the Virgin) and August 15th (Dormition of the Virgin).
The museum is open all year round, except on Public Holidays, and has a 5 euro entrance per person, 3 euro for groups, whilst kids and students enter for free.
November – May Daily: 10:00 – 16:00
June – October: Daily: 10:00 – 18:00
Gallery
