which have a unique
red dome and clock, reminding of the bell-tower
of the Orthodox Church of Agios Georgios (Saint Georges)
in Venice.
Agios Spyridon, to whom the church is dedicated, is
the patron of the island who, before becoming a bishop,
started his life as a shepherd in Cyprus; he is related
to many miracles such as the salvation of the island
from the Turkish occupation, the famine and the epidemics.
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(Paul),
who were the first to brought and preached Christianity
on the island.
Built during the 10th century,
the church has a cross-in-square shape, with two columns
and a dome.
Very few wall paintings and
frescoes dating from the 11th and 13th century have
survived the damages of time and humidity so the interior
has been enriched and the damaged icons replaced by
paintings from the Cretan painter Emmanuel Tzanes.
More information can be gained from the Greek Ministry
of Culture’s Website: here
| The
early Christian Basilica of Paleopolis |
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Built during the 5th century by the bishop Jovian on
the site of a Roman public building, in the actual area
of Kanoni (one suburb of the island’s capital), the
church was destroyed many times by different invaders
such as Vandals, Goths, Saracens and Normans, as well
as by bomb raids during World War II;
today, only ruins remain from the beautiful and imposing
basilica.
More information can be gathered from the Greek Ministry
of Culture’s Website: here
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This museum is the lovely main church of the monastery
that was built during the 18th century
| The
Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Platytera |
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Located in the suburb of Mandouki,
the monastery was first built in 1743 and renovated
after its destruction, in 1799, during the Franco Russian-Turk
War.
The main church of the monastery houses some valuable
Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons and paintings made
by masters of the iconographic art.
In the same area, nearby the monastery, is the grave
of Ioannis Kapodistrias who was the first governor of
the new and independent Greek State.
| The
Church of Pantokrator |
|
This little typical Orthodox church with a round dome
stands on the little islet of Pontikonisi (Island of
Mousses), right opposite the area of kanoni, and is
dedicated to the transfiguration of Christ.
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