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Larnaca
There
are many museums and places of interest to visit, in the district
of Larnaca.
STAVROVOUNI
MONASTERY
In Larnaca
district is Stavravouni Monastery , it is perched atop a solitary
mountain, The mountain of the Cross. It is the oldest monastery in
Cyprus and it is very interesting. Women are not allowed in
the monastery itself so be warned.
LEFKARA
Lefkara on the other hand will be only too happy to receive women
visitors as the lace which is hand woven there generally appeals to the
fairer sex. Leonardo da Vinci is supposed to have visited in 1481 and
bought an alter cloth for the cathedral in Milan.( The experts at
Sotheby's say that his writings about visiting this part of the world
were all a figment of his fertile imagination, but that does not explain
the 4 lost years, or his graphic descriptions).
The festival of the Holy Cross is held here in September every
year on the 13th and 14th, the Holy Cross itself is contained in the
local church, Tou Timiou Stavrou and is from the 13th century. You will
also find 12th century frescoes in the Archangel Michael church in Kato
Lefkara.
KITI
VILLAGE
The village of Kiti just outside Larnaca, there you will find the "Church
built by Angels, Panayia Angeloktistos. This church still contains 6th
century mosaic decorations from an earlier church
LARNACA
DISTRICT ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
Plateia Kalogreon
(04) 630169 Monday - Friday 07.30-14.30 Thursday 15.00-18.00 (except
July and August)
Interesting collection of
finds from the Larnaca area dating from the Neolithic Age to the Roman
period.
PIERIDES
MUSEUM
Zenon Kiteos 4, (04) 651345,
652495
Monday - Friday 09.00-13.00 15.00-18.00 Saturday 09.00-13.00 Sunday
10.00-13.00
Remarkable private
collection of Cypriot antiquities, originally collected by Demetrios
Pieridis (collector) (1811-1895), and further enriched by members of his
family
LARNACA
MEDIAEVAL MUSEUM - LARNACA FORT
Larnaca seafront
Monday - Friday 07.30-14.30 Thursday 15.00-18.00 (except July and
August)
Built in 1625, it was used as a prison in the first years of
British rule. It houses the District Mediaeval Museum. The fort is also
used as the Larnaca Municipal Cultural Centre during the summer.
HALA
SULTAN TEKKE
This is the fourth most important Muslim place of pilgrimage on the
planet. This was the spot on which the aunt of the Prophet fell and
broke her pellucid neck. Over the spot a huge stone hovers to mark the
spot. The stone itself is now supported by a couple of beams, just in
case it should stop hovering.
AGIOS
LAZAROS CHURCH
Piateia Agiou Lazarou
Saint Lazarus is the patron saint of Larnaca. Kition became
his second home after his resurrection by Christ, and he lived here for
30 years. He was ordained Bishop of Kition by saints Mark and Barnabas.
In the 9th century a magnificent church was erected over his tomb by
Emperor Leo VI. The church, one of the finest examples of Byzantine
architecture in Cyprus, was faithfully restored in the 17th century,
Visitors can see the tomb of Saint Lazarus under the sanctuary and an
ecclesiastical museum behind the church.
Eight
days before the Greek Orthodox Easter the icon of Saint Lazarus is taken
in procession through the streets of Larnaca.
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