Panagia tou Araka
Παναγία του Άρακα
A UNESCO World Heritage painted church in the village of Lagoudera, whose 1192 Komnenian-style murals are hailed as masterpieces of Byzantine art.
Panagia tou Araka stands in the village of Lagoudera, northeast of Troodos. From the outside it is an unassuming village church with a steep wooden-shingled roof, but inside it preserves a complete set of murals dating to 1192. The figures are slender and graceful, representing the peak of the late Komnenian style, and the dome depicting Christ Pantocrator is especially striking. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site 'Painted Churches in the Troodos Region'. A caretaker opens the church, and photography is not allowed inside. The mountain road is long; the drive from Limassol takes about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Opening hours
~09:00–16:00 (open when caretaker is present)
Nearby sights
- Mount Olympus (Troodos)
- Caledonia Waterfalls
- Platres
- Lania
- Millomeris Waterfall
- Omodos
- Limassol District Archaeological Museum
- Amathus