Panagia tou Moutoulla

Panagia tou Moutoulla is a four-faced Byzantine church located in the village of Mutulla in the center of Trodos queues, within the Marathasa valley in Nicosia District, Cyprus. The church is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Painted Churches in the Troodos Area", which was designated in 1985.

History

The church was built and painted in 1280 at the expense of Ioannis Mutullas and his wife Irini, as evidenced by an inscription on its northern wall at the altar. The inscription depicts them with a model of the church in their hands, indicating that the church was built as their family temple. The church's frescoes are notable for being the only accurately dated work of monumental painting from the 13th century preserved in Cyprus to this day.

Architecture and Art

The Church of Panagia tou Moutoulla is a single-nave church with four facades, characteristic of Byzantine architecture. Its interior features a collection of frescoes, which were increased in number during the 15th-16th centuries. The church's painting is considered one of the most significant examples of medieval art in Cyprus.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Panagia tou Moutoulla was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Painted Churches in the Troodos Area" in 1985, recognizing its cultural and historical significance as part of a larger collection of churches with murals in the Troodos area.