Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Panayia Chrysopolitissa

Its foundation goes back in the Byzantine times, when a source of the Kition Bishopric mentions its existence in the 12th and 13th centuries. Writings from the archives of the Greek College of Rome confirm that the church had this name in 1638. In 1765 the church is destroyed and was rebuild in its present form in 1768. In 1851 was renovated again and also acquired the present wood engraved, but gold surfaced iconostas. Many of the icons are 16th and 17th century as most of its ecclesiastical furnishing. Situated at the corner of Archie Bishop Kyprianou and Crysopolitissas streets, on a hill that used to be the prehistoric cemetery of the ancient town (12-13th centuries BC). Chrysopolitissa stone church is devoted to Virgin Mary of the “golden-town”, because the prehistoric and rich tombs on this hill were full of gold jewelry and this quarter was known in medieval times as “gold-town” or Chryssopolis. Its elegant bell-tower, recently restored, is of the 19th century.

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