ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

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The Royal Chapel of Pyrgá or Chapel of Sainte-Catherine is an ancient religious building on the edge of the village of Pyrgá, in Cyprus, dating from the Lusignan era, decorated inside with frescoes of Italian-Byzantine style that remain very partially, with legends in old French.

History
The building was built in 1421. It is possible that he was part of a larger mansion or monastery. King Janus would have gathered there before the battle of Chirokitia in , against the Mamluks, where his army was crushed and where he was captured and taken to Cairo.

Description
This chapel is very simple and of limited size. Its style resembles a small Gothic building, with a rectangular plan, and a vaulted ceiling. It had three entrances, two of which are walled today. On the lintel of the south gate, there is an old French word, basoges (basilica). It is built of volcanic stone, with the exception of porous lintels and arches, and white stone pilasters.

The interior was decorated with frescoes, dedicated to the life of Christ on the east wall and to the Virgin Mary on the west wall, again with legends mentioned in old French: for example Sene dou Jeusdi Saint for Holy Thursday's Supper, Pentecouste for Pentecost, etc. These frescoes only partially remain. The style of this Cypriot art in the Lusignan era, according to Camille Enlart, crosses a western influence, more precisely giottesque, and a Byzantine influence, which marked the artists of the island before the arrival of the Poitevin lords.

References

Pyrga
Religious building in Cyprus
Kingdom of Cyprus