Kykkos Monastery
Kykkos Monastery (Greek: Ιερά Μονή Κύκκου or Κύκκος [locally [ˈt͡ʃikʰos]] for short, Turkish: Cikko Manastırı), which lies 20 km west of Pedoulas, is one of the wealthiest and best-known monasteries in Cyprus.
Κύκκος | |
Kykkos Monastery | |
Location within Cyprus | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | The Holy, Royal and Stavropegic Monastery of Kykkos |
| Order | Orthodox monasticism |
| Established | 11th century |
| Dedicated to | Virgin Mary |
| Celebration date | August 15, September 8 |
| Diocese | Church of Cyprus |
| Controlled churches | Metochi Kykkou |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Alexios I Komnenos |
| Prior | Nikiphoros, Metropolitan of Kykkos and Tylliria |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Byzantine |
| Site | |
| Location | Troodos, Paphos District |
| Country | Cyprus |
| Coordinates | 34.984°N 32.741°E |
The Holy Monastery of the Virgin of Kykkos was founded around the end of the 11th century by the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos (1081–1118). The monastery lies at an altitude of 1318 meters on the north west face of Troödos Mountains. There are no remains of the original monastery as it was burned down many times. The first President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III started his ecclesiastical career there as a monk in 1926. He remained fond of the place and returned there many times. His request to be buried there materialised after his death in 1977. His tomb lies 3 km west of Kykkos monastery and remains a popular visitor destination.