Painted Churches in the Troodos Region


World Heritage Identification Number: 351

World Heritage since: 1985

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇨🇾 Cyprus

Continent: Asia

UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America

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Exploring the Richly Decorated Painted Churches in the Troodos Region, Cyprus

The Painted Churches in the Troodos Region, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, offer a captivating glimpse into the artistic and religious history of Cyprus. Located in the picturesque Troodos Mountains, this collection of ten Byzantine churches and monasteries showcases some of the most remarkable examples of Byzantine and post-Byzantine painting found anywhere.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

This region is characterized by one of the largest groups of churches and monasteries of the former Byzantine Empire. The complex of 10 monuments included on the World Heritage List, all richly decorated with murals, provides an overview of Byzantine and post-Byzantine painting in Cyprus. They range from small churches whose rural architectural style is in stark contrast to their highly refined decoration, to monasteries such as that of St John Lampadistis.

Encyclopedia Record: Painted Churches in the Troodos Region

The Painted Churches in the Troödos Region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Troödos Mountains of central Cyprus. The complex comprises ten Byzantine churches and monasteries richly decorated with Byzantine and post-Byzantine murals:Church of Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis in Kakopetria: An 11th-century monastery and the oldest surviving katholikon in Cyprus Agios Ioannis Lampadistis Monastery in Kalopanagiotis: A 13th-century monastery Church of Panagia Phorviotissa (Asinou) in Nikitari: A 12th-century church Church of Panagia tou Arakou in Lagoudhera: A 12th century church Church of Panagia in Moutoullas: A 13th-century chapel and the earliest example of steep-pitched wooden roofs Church of Archangelos Michael in Pedoulas: A late 15th-century church Church of Timios Stavros in Pelendri: A church containing unique 14th-century wall paintings Church of Panagia Podithou in Galata: An early-16th century church Church of Stavros Agiasmati in Platanistasa: A 14th-century church Church of Agia Sotira tou Soteros in Palaichori Oreinis: A 16th-century church.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 3.693 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape

Coordinates: 34.92027778 , 33.09583333

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Nearby World Heritage Sites

Choirokoitia
26 km — Cyprus
Paphos
66 km — Cyprus
Byblos
250 km — Lebanon
Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli
255 km — Lebanon
Tyre
267 km — Lebanon

Country Information: Cyprus

Flag of Cyprus

Official Name: Republic of Cyprus

Capital: Nicosia

Continent: Asia

Population (2024): 1,358,282

Population (2023): 1,344,976

Population (2022): 1,331,370

Land Area: 9,240 sq km

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Painted Churches in the Troodos Region are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Painted Churches in the Troodos Region, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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