Kykkos Monastery Cyprus

Kykkos Monastery’s Most Important Icon Has Been Completely Covered in Silver Since the 14th Century

The icon of the Virgin Mary believed to have been painted by Saint Luke the Evangelist has not been visible to clergy or the public since it was wrapped in silver and embroidered fabric centuries ago. You are venerating a covered object. The pilgrims who make the journey to this monastery at 1,318 metres in the Troodos Mountains understand this. Tourists occasionally find it confusing, which is a reasonable reaction to a central religious artefact with no confirmed visible appearance in 700 years.

Kykkos was founded around 1100 CE and has survived fire (it burned repeatedly over the centuries and was rebuilt each time), Ottoman rule, and two world wars through a combination of royal patronage and accumulated wealth. The monastery now owns farmland, hotels, and properties across Cyprus, and its political connections were made explicit when Archbishop Makarios III – the first president of independent Cyprus from 1960 to 1977 – trained here as a novice. His tomb is on Throni Hill above the monastery, managed by the monastery itself.

What to See

The main church is covered in Byzantine-style mosaics completed in the 1980s and 1990s – modern work but skillfully done and visually impressive. The monastery museum below the main complex has a well-arranged collection of genuine Byzantine icons from the 12th to 18th centuries, church silver, vestments, and manuscripts. The quality is higher than most monastery museums in Cyprus; allow 45 minutes.

Throni Hill, a short drive or 20-minute walk above the monastery, has views over the Troodos forest and the tomb of Archbishop Makarios III under a stone pavilion flanked by Republican Guards. The combination of Byzantine monastery and 20th-century president’s burial site is specifically Cypriot – Orthodoxy and nationalism woven closely together here.

The Troodos Region

The drive to Kykkos from Limassol (70km) or Nicosia (90km) passes through villages with traditional stone architecture and terraced vineyards producing Commandaria, the ancient sweet wine of Cyprus claimed as the world’s oldest named wine still in production, dating from the 12th century. Several Limassol wine region wineries allow cellar-door visits, making the monastery trip easily extendable.

Kakopetria on the northern approach is the most attractive village on the route, with medieval stone houses and tavernas serving kleftiko and fresh trout. The Church of Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis nearby (UNESCO World Heritage) has 11th to 15th-century frescoes in outstanding condition and very few visitors.

Practical Notes

Entry to the monastery grounds and church is free; the museum charges approximately EUR 4. Dress code is strict: shoulders and knees covered. The monastery sells its own honey from the Troodos forest – distinctive flavour, worth buying. No public transport; a car is required. The road is winding; allow 90 minutes from the coast.