St. Nicholas of The Roof Church

We started our morning off with a visit to St. Nicolas of the roof Church. The drive to get there was very scenic, the town of Kakopetria is beautiful, I never realized Cyprus had such a large mountain range. The church was on the side of a mountain. The exterior of the church has a room that was put up to protect the original dome of the church, this was common with churches built in the mountains. The water would ruin the fresco paint that was used, which means “fresh wall”. Inside the church there were domes that formed the shape of the cross. At the top of the cross Jesus is pictured, then with the angels and the prophets around him. The walls of the Church depict the life of Jesus. Seeing the age-old artwork in this church was breathtaking. I wish I could have taken photos of the work, but the detail was amazing. It felt surreal being in such an old but beautiful place, I am glad to have had the opportunity to see the artwork in person!

The Hill Village of Kakopetria

After the church visit, we had a walking tour of Kakopetria. The town was absolutely stunning, the houses all along the hillsides and the river that ran through it. The Main Street of the city was built in the 14th century. Most of the building are made out of either volcanic rock, mud rocks, or river rocks since the ancient people used the materials that were around them. Within the town we saw many orange, pomegranate, and olive trees growing. One of the most interesting facts I learned was about the houses. The animals would be kept in the basement of the house, while the people would live upstairs. Pictures cannot describe the beauty and nature of this town; I am so happy to have had this opportunity to see it in person!

Today was the last day of being with our tour guide, Mrs. Demetria. It was sad leaving the tour today. I have loved hearing her stories and her own personal experiences of the Cyprus history we have been learning. I will always remember her stories when I think about this trip!