Just north of the village of Koutsoventis, at the foothills of Buffavento, is the Monastery of Saint John Chrysostomos. The monastery was founded about 1070 by the monk George from the Levant and is very famous for its frescoes. The monastery consists of two churches connected by a shared wall.
The original south church was destroyed and rebuilt in 1891. The new south church was rebuilt on the foundations of the old structure and in a rectangular fashion, with three bays, and covered by pointed cross-groin vaults. Surviving portions of the original church include the pavement, marble door frames, and a carved wooden door.
The north church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and the founder and donor was the Governor of Cyprus, Eumathios Philokales. The building is largely from brick, with a unique dome constructed of brick alternating with stone. Famous is also the wooden carved door of the church. Now, under Turkish occupation, St Chrysostomos cannot be visited.
PNT-00220: Vue des ruines du Palais de la Reine, prise du Monastere de Saint Chrysostome (en Chypre, île de la Mediterranee), Louis Feraud, watercolour, ca. 1800
© Costas and Rita Severis Foundation
The ‘Did You Know’ series is made possible with the support of OPAP (Cyprus).
