CHURCH OF PANAGIA CHRYSALINIOTISSA

This church (Ιερός Ναός Παναγίας Χρυσαλινιώτισσας/Ieros Naos Panagias Chrysaliniotissas) is considered the oldest Greek Orthodox place of worship in the old town. Dedicated to the "Virgin of the Golden Flax", its first version was probably a Byzantine basilica from the ^7th or ^8th century. It owes its name to the legend that a miraculous icon of the Mother of God was discovered here at a time when there was a field of yellow flax (Linum flavum), also known as "golden flax". The original church, modest in size and topped by a dome, was later joined by all the elements that exist today. Around the ^10th century, two chapels with semicircular arches were added on the north and south sides. In 1450, the Byzantine princess Helena Palaeologus, wife of King John II of Cyprus, undertook a major restoration project. Two Gothic-style narthexes were built: one to the west, with pointed-arch vaults; the other over the north chapel, with almost rounded vaults. Around a century later, an exonarthex topped by a dome extended the western façade. Then, in 1735, two small vaulted rooms and a colonnade with Gothic capitals were added to the south chapel. Finally, in the ^20th century, the gallery on the west façade was installed. Inside, all these successive "layers" are clearly visible, with a fairly limited space inherited from the original building and vaults with angles that are almost never identical.