Holy Church of Panagia of Asinou, Cyprus in 4K

Описание: In the past couple of weeks, I could not venture far from Nicosia, for reasons of my own. However, brief but mandatory excursions on Saturdays and Sundays allowed a more thorough exploration of the northern foothills of the Troodos. One of the best finds, and I am continually astounded at how rich Cyprus is with such a feast for the eyes - an extremely old, yet in good health, small but unbelievably charming, authentic Byzantine Church of the Virgin Mary in Asinou.

The church, built "to last" from local stone at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries, was always surrounded by people. Initially - the monks of the monastery, which she was part of, and traces of which have completely disappeared by now (apparently, they were made of a different kind of stone or wood, or not "to last"). Then – the Franciscans, the Ottomans, local residents of the villages of Asinou and Nikitari, uninvited guests from Saint Petersburg, and so on... in short, almost 50 generations of people leading their bustling, but not always sensible activities around this little church. Some of these people (not me) adorned this church with internal frescoes, which is a reason why, despite the fact that it is included in the UNESCO heritage list, along with nine similar churches in Troodos, thus not unique, its merits cannot be underestimated: the frescoes, date back to the 12th –17th centuries, are magnificently preserved – better than anywhere else on the island.

One of the most significant frescoes depicts Cyril and Methodius and this fact was impossible to dismiss. I was very eager to get inside, not just orbit around, admiring the architecture of the building itself, the aesthetics of the landscape, the warm weather, and the strong smell of conifers.

The attempt was unsuccessful - all doors were locked, despite the "opening hours". Many online complaints highlight visitors encountering locked doors. Those more persistent go looking for the priest in the neighboring village, while others give up and settle for a meal at the tavern opposite the church. On the one hand, it's probably a tiny bit annoying. However, on the other? Nothing aids the preservation of property more than a consistently locked door.