Kykkos Monastery — the Richest Monastery on the Island, Icon of Saint Luke and Byzantine Museum
Kykkos is located in the Troodos mountains at an altitude of 1318 meters, 20 km from the center of Pedoulas. The road to it leads through cedar and pine forests, with views becoming increasingly expansive as you gain altitude. The monastery is visible from afar — large complexes of buildings, golden domes of churches, walls of beige stone. But what makes the biggest impression upon entering through the gate is the scale of the wealth: mosaics of gold and purple on every wall, wide arcades, a museum with biblical codices and silver chalices.
Kykkos is the largest and wealthiest monastery in Cyprus. It is not subsidized by the government — the monastery is self-sufficient thanks to donations, a small hotel, its own wine and land.
Basic Information
GPS: 34.9843° N, 32.7404° E. The monastery is located in Troodos Forest, 18 km from Pedoulas.
Getting There:
- From Nicosia: Road through Kyperounda–Pedoulas–Kykkos, approx. 90 km, 90 min
- From Limassol: B8 → Troodos → Kykkos (through Prodromos), approx. 80 km, 90 min
- From Paphos: approx. 95 km, 100 min
Parking: Large, free. Occupied on August weekends and Sundays — arrive early.
Hours:
- Museum: 10:00–18:00 (May–October), 10:00–16:00 (winter)
- Church: 6:00–20:00 (for worshippers), open to tourists 10:00–16:00 (outside of services)
- Shop: 10:00–18:00
Museum Tickets: 5 EUR. Entrance to the church and monastery grounds: free.
Dress Code (mandatory): Shoulders covered, knees covered. For women — long skirt or trousers + shoulder covering. Scarves and headbands are available at the gate.
History of the Monastery
Kykkos was founded in the late 11th–12th centuries — tradition says about a monk named Esaias (or Isaias) who healed the daughter of the Cypriot governor Butumites. In gratitude, Butumites organized the bringing from Constantinople of an icon of the Virgin Mary attributed to Saint Luke the Evangelist.
The monastery has repeatedly burned down (fires in 1365, 1542, 1751) and was rebuilt. The current architectural form mainly dates from the 19th–20th centuries. Mosaic paintings — from the late 20th century (covering the walls in 70% in a modern style referencing Byzantine tradition).
The Archbishop Makarios III was born and raised in the monastery — the first president of independent Republic of Cyprus (1960–1977). His grave is located on Throni hill (2 km from the monastery) — a popular pilgrimage site.
Icon of the Virgin Mary of Kykkiotissa
The most important exhibit and spiritual center of the monastery is the icon of the Virgin Mary attributed to Saint Luke. According to tradition, Luke painted three icons of the Madonna during her lifetime — one went to Constantinople, then to Venice (Salus Populi Romani in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major), one to Kykkos, and the third to Ephesus.
Practical Note: The icon in Kykkos is covered with a silver casing and yellow fabric — it is not possible to see the actual image. No one, not even the abbot of the monastery, has reportedly seen the icon with the naked eye for centuries. Legend says that the last person to uncover it went blind. This is a tradition, but also an old respect — the icon is an object of worship, not an exhibition.
Kykkos Museum
The monastery museum has one of the most extensive private collections of religious art in Cyprus:
- Icons (11th–19th centuries): over 200 exhibits, many with gold and silver accents on the frames
- Manuscripts and codices: an Evangelary from the 9th century, a Psalter from the 12th century — partially in gold script
- Liturgical vessels of gold and silver: chalices, patens, censers
- Incunabula: First printed Cypriot liturgies from the 16th–17th centuries
- Fragments of liturgical fabrics
Description: Each exhibit has a plaque in Greek and English. Air-conditioned rooms — a pleasant relief after the open courtyards in July.
Museum visiting time: 45–60 minutes.
Tour of the Monastery Courtyards
The monastery has several interconnected courtyards surrounding the central church. Worth seeing:
Exterior Mosaics: Entire walls of the arcades are covered with mosaics of gold and ceramic tesserae — biblical scenes, portraits of saints, symbols of the evangelists. Style: modern Byzantinism (created in the 1990s–2010s).
Central Courtyard: Fountain, cypresses, blooming bougainvillea. Monks pass through the arcades.
Bell Tower: Several bells from different eras (casting dates visible).
Monastery Shop: Herbs, Cypriot wines and Commandaria produced by the monastery, icons, candles, rosaries, souvenirs. Symbolic prices for liturgical candles, higher for icons (50–300 EUR for a hand-painted icon).
Grave of Makarios on Throni
2 km from the monastery, on Throni hill (1540 m), lies the grave of Archbishop Makarios III. Makarios is a figure of ambiguous historical assessment — a national hero of Cyprus's independence and a participant in the 1974 coup that led to the Turkish invasion.
Regardless of the historical assessment, Throni has a panorama of the entire western Troodos and is slightly elevated above the monastery — an additional 20–30 minutes walk from the monastery.
At the grave: constantly burning candles, bouquets of flowers, memorial plaques.
Kykkos Monastery Wine
The monastery produces its own wine under the Kykkos brand. Range: white Xynisteri, red Maratheftiko, Commandaria. You can buy it in the monastery shop or online. Prices: 8–15 EUR per bottle, lower than in city stores.
Wine style: traditional, without advanced enology. Not bad, but not at the level of premium wineries. You buy it more for the symbolism of the place.
When to Visit
Best: May–June and September–October. Temperature 15–22°C, no August crowds.
Avoid: August weekends and Orthodox holidays (Assumption of the Virgin Mary August 15 — a crowd of pilgrims from all over the island).
Winter: Monastery open, museum with shorter hours. Snow on Mount Olympus visible from Throni. Silence, tranquility.
Hotels and guesthouses in Pedoulas and Kakopetria as a base for visiting Kykkos on CyprusBooker — filter "Troodos" or "Pedoulas".