Antiphonitis (Church of Christ Antiphonitis) - Northern Cyprus
#Antiphonitis -- more correctly the Church of Christ Antiphonitis (Χριστός Ἀντιφωνητής) -- is a domed church in #Cyprus, in #Kyrenia District, located in the mountains near the village of Kalograia. It is reached from the network of tracks and small roads in the area of the Herbarium and Agios Amvrosios. It is under the de facto control of #Northern #Cyprus.
The name Christ Antiphonitis means Christ who responds and a number of Greek churches are so designated. The epithet appears to derive from a miraculous icon of some kind which responded to prayers, but no account of this icon in Cyprus is known. The name is testified in the late medieval period. Writing in the sixteenth century, Stefano Lusignan in his Description de toute l'isle de Cypre (Paris, 1580) recalls that Antifoniti was a fief belonging to his family, that his maternal grandmother Isabella Perez Fabricius founded the monastery of Antifonite and that his brother John (who had become a monk under the name Hilarion) died there.
Architecture:
The church—built on the site of a natural spring at the head of a valley—was constructed in the twelfth century and belonged originally to a Greek Orthodox monastery. It consists of a single building with a spacious dome carried on eight pillars and is the only surviving example of this type in Cyprus. A ruined and partly restored example is in #Saint #Hilarion #Castle and there was once a similar church at the centre of the Monastery of #St. #John Chrysostomos at Koutsovendis before the church there was rebuilt at the end of the nineteenth century. The narthex on the western side and the arcade on the south were added a later time, probably in the fifteenth century when the building was under the Latin church. The irregular shape of the dome is perhaps due to damaged sustained during the 1222 Cyprus earthquake. Paintings:
The Church of Christ Antiphonitis is notable for the array of frescoes on the walls and on the pillars. The oldest paintings belong to the end of the twelfth century and are thought to be a local interpretation of the style of the late Comnenian period as it appears at Panagia tou Arakou at Lagoudera.
When first studied, the Virgin Mary and prelates in the apse were damaged, but the saints in the sanctuary were well preserved. Early painting also include decons, martyrs and stylites. There was a Baptism on the south-west pillar of the nave.

Church of Christ Antiphonitis, St. Endoxus in one the arches under the dome, twelfth century, as photographed in 2010.
The remaining paintings are later in date and belong to the 1400s. They are executed in a post-Byzantine local revival style. On the south wall was a Tree of Jesse, and on the north an elaborate Last Judgement or Μέλλουσα Κρίση. In the dome is Christ Pantocrator surround by angels. A. and J. Stylianou report that the paintings of the dome were already badly damaged at the time of their studies in the 1960s and 1970s.
Coordinates: 35°20′0″N 33°37′0″E
Antiphonitis Church North Cyprus Esentepe
Antiphonitis Church Northcyprus Esentepe, historical sites to visit in North Cyprus. Cyprus seights
Church Christ of Antiphonitis near Ensetepe - Historic Cyprus - May 28 2017
The Church Christ of Antiphonitis near Ensetepe.
A fantastic visit with Anna Marangou and Historic Cyprus on May 28 2017
Presentation en français de ce trésor inestimable malheureusement fortement endommagé par quelques marchants d'arts et visiteurs peu scrupuleux
Antiphonitis Church near Esentepe
A visit to the Antiphonitis Church near Esentepe is such a delight to see the beauty and creativity of times gone by and also enjoy the peaceful views and tranquillity. To read more on cyprusscene.com do please follow this link
Gerlis Ensemble - Christ of Antiphonitis - Cyprus - May 28 2017 - 1
Exceptional Concert by the Gerlis Ensemble while visiting the Church Christ of Antiphonitis near Ensetepe. A fantastic visit with Anna Marangou and Historic Cyprus on May 28 2017
Antiphonitis Church and Bellapais Monastry, August 2013
Musique: Danielle Licari - Concerto pour elle
Antiphonitis Church
Built by a 12th century monk originally from Asia Minor, the striking stone church of Antiphonitis (or Anthipanitis, meaning Replying to Christ) is part of a former monastery. Tucked away in the Five Finger Mountains, the church boasts a stunning vista across the North Cyprus coastline. Inside, you will discover an elegant dome supported by circular columns and arranged in an octagon, with a 15th century-built barrel vaulted and tiled outside loggia and front entrance porch. This design makes the church of Antiphonitis unique in North Cyprus and although much of the church is now derelict, you can still see the remains of the original frescoes inside, plus some added later in the 15th century.
Bellapais monastry: to the north-east of Kyrenia (Girne), set on the side of a mountain, this twelfth-century monastery is a fine example of Gothic architecture of the Lusignan period.
The abbey comprises of a church, refectory, dormitory and storage rooms grouped around an inner courdyard. It was originally occupied by a French brotherhood, the Order of Premontre, and was known to them as the Abbaye de la Paix.
Gerlis Ensemble - Christ of Antiphonitis - Cyprus - May 28 2017 - 2
Exceptional Concert by the Gerlis Ensemble while visiting the Church Christ of Antiphonitis near Ensetepe. A fantastic visit with Anna Marangou and Historic Cyprus on May 28 2017
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3D Reconstruction of the wall paintings of the church of Christ Antiphonitis
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Five Finger Mountains:
Called Pentadactylos in Greek. Beshparmak in Turkish, and Five Fingers in English. These are the three names by which the mountain range, that runs parallel to the north coast, are known, and there is one particular part of the range that is truly the “Five Finger” mountain. According to one legend, the gnarled massif was formed during a time millions of years ago when the world was peopled by giants. One giant was chasing another and picked up a handful of stones which he threw at his opponent. The stones missed their target and landed on the hillside forming the limestone “five finger” ridge. Look closely and you will see that it does indeed look a little like a clenched fist! This mountain range is some 175 km in length and is made of rocks that come under the general heading of limestone.
Antiphonitis Monastery:
Hidden away in a wooded valley approximately 4 miles (6.5km) from the village of Esentepe is the 12th C church of Antiphonitis, (Christ of the Echo).
It is not difficult to find, just follow the signs from Esentepe village centre, and the drive through the mountains is quite spectacular as the track twists its way among the pine trees and arbutus covered hillsides. There are magnificent views over the coastline and in springtime there are masses of wild flowers.
The church is small and very beautiful, with an interior that was once decorated in fine frescoes. Regrettably over the years the frescoes have been vandalised and blame for this cannot be laid at the door of any particular culprit as graffiti on the walls is written in Greek, Turkish and English!
Alagadi Turtle Beach:
Alagadi beach has the longest stretch of beach on the coast, and for once it’s also a public beach that locals and tourists alike can enjoy. Behind the beach, the Five Finger Mountains rise up to provide a wonderful view even when you are not looking at the sea! Alagadi beach is one of the major beaches in Northern Cyprus where the loggerhead and green turtles come to nest, and so is sometimes called Turtle Beach.
Buffavento Castle:
As the name implies, this castle is buffeted by the winds, and standing at 3,100 feet it is the highest and most inaccessible of the three castles. To get there, take the turning that is signposted at the top of the Five Finger mountain pass and follow the route for a little over four miles. All along this approach road there are magnificent views over the Mesaoria plain and the City of Lefkosa (Nicosia). Goats will be seen browsing among the bushes and somewhere a sleepy goatherd will be having a nap under a tree.
Golden Beach:
Unmistakable on a map of North Cyprus, the Karpas, or Panhandle as it's commonly known by, is the long finger of land pointing north-east towards the Turkish eastern mainland, located at the Eastern most tip of Cyprus, near Famagusta. The peninsula thrusts out from just beyond where ever watchful Kantara castle sits at the end of the Kyrenia range of mountains; a windswept undulating land strip of around 75 km in length. Harbouring some of the best beaches on the island, this remote terrain is a mecca for bird watchers.
Karpaz Gate Marina:
Karpaz Gate Marina is located in one of the most unspoilt corners of the Mediterranean, the Karpaz peninsula of Northern Cyprus, a previously undiscovered cruising area.
Karpaz Gate Marina offers an ideally situated base in the heart of the area – the perfect place from which the Karpaz peninsula’s pristine waters, untouched bays and deserted sandy beaches can be explored. The marina is just as enticing, offering a first-class range of facilities including: Restaurant, cafe, bar and lounge, beach and pool club, beach bar and restaurant, gym, art gallery.
Bellapais Abbey:
Bellapais Abbey is an attractive ruined monastery dating from the early 13th century, near Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus. It is the main attraction of the picturesque village of Bellapais, which is also known for being the home of Lawrence Durrell (from 1953 to 1955), author of Bitter Lemons.
Kyrenia Castle:
he castle which lies to the north - east of Kyrenia dominates the harbour and is built on the tetragonal form.
Explorations carried out in and around the castle take us as far as the Hellenistic and Roman Period (111 - 11 B.C.) But so far it has not been possible to establish the exact day of construction of the castle. As a result of the examinations carried out at the site, it is thought likely that, the original castle was built in the VII. A.D. by the Byzantines for the purpose of defending Kyrenia against Arab raids.
Cape Apostolos Andreas:
Cape Apostolos Andreas is the north-easternmost point of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It lies at the tip of the finger-like Karpass Peninsula. The famous Apostolos Andreas Monastery is located 5 km south-West of the promontory itself.
Outreach & Education - Saving the Forgotten Frescos of Famagusta
For five hundred years, an exquisite Renaissance fresco depicting the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste has remained hidden, forgotten, and neglected on the wall of a fourteenth-century church in Famagusta, Cyprus. The Forty charts the painstaking work of rescuing the fresco from obscurity and ruin, as part of a pioneering project that puts heritage above politics to begin, after decades of neglect, the work of saving Famagusta’s forgotten frescos. Produced, directed, and narrated by Dan Frodsham.
Learn more:
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•Biserica Românească Duminica Sfântului Mucenic și Sfântul Ioan Choisitul Românesc din satul Episcopia, Nicosia - Cipru
•Ρουμάνικη Εκκλησία Αγίας Μεγαλομάρτυρα Κυριακής και Άγιου Ιωάννη Χοζεβίτη του Ρουμάνου, στο Χωρίο Επισκοπειό της Επαρχίας Λευωσίας
•Румынская церковь «Святой мученик воскресенья и святой Иоанн Шуазиты румынский» в деревне Эпископио, Никосия - Кипр
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The four Apostles of Antiphonitis church - Tasoula Hadjitofi
The icons portraying the four Apostles -John, Mark, Paul and Peter- originate from the iconostasis of the Antifonitis Church near Kalogrea village, Cyprus. Tasoula discovered the icons in Rotterdam in May 1995 at the house of an elderly couple, who claimed that they had bought them in 'good faith' in 1971. The tip came from their neighbour, the then Consul General of Greece to The Netherlands.
Lawyer R. W. Polak arranged for a court order to seize the icons following independent confirmation of their origin in 1995. A long court case established that the icons were original and had been in Cyprus until August 1974. Nevertheless, the Rotterdam court ruled in favour of the current possessors (whilst recognising the Church of Cyprus as the rightful owner) due to a statute of limitations under Dutch law.As a result, the icons remain in their possession in The Netherlands.
The case attracted enormous media coverage as the first case to test the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. As a result Unesco sent observers to watch the case.
The Dutch legislation has changed in 2008 in reference to the Lans case, and now Cyprus can claim the icons back.