ABOUT THE CHURCH

The church of Panagia in Trachoni/Demirhan is a small building of the inscribed-cross architectural type with a dome and protruding semi-circular apse. Based on parallel structures, it is believed that the church may have been built during the 16th Century. During the 19th or early 20th Century, an open portico with pointed arches was added and the vaults covered by Marseille-type roof tiles.
The gilded wooden iconostasis dates back to the 19th Century.

THE CONSERVATION PROJECT

Panagia Church was selected as part of the priority intervention emergency projects of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage and was the first cultural heritage site to be elevated to a conservation project soon after emergency measures were completed.

Conservation works included: general cleaning, supporting, excavation, consolidation and repairing of the walls; removal of debris and vegetation from the building and inside the yard; consolidation of deteriorated masonry in order to prevent it from further collapse, repairing of the bell tower, portico, doors, windows, wooden staircase and the wooden slab of the gynaikonitis (women’s section) as well as the iconostasis. The church’s furniture was cleaned and put back in its original position. The altar was also renovated. Sections of the garden stonewalls were also repaired and olive trees were planted in the garden of the church during the ceremony, to create an ‘Olive-grove for peace’.

Panagia Church was the first project of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage to be completed in 2013. Hundreds of Greek Cypriots attended the completion ceremony on 11 December 2013.