Troodos Mountains

Troodos (Greek: Τρόοδος [ˈtɾooðos]; Turkish: Trodos Dağları) is the largest mountain range in Cyprus, located in the center of the island. Troodos' highest peak is Mount Olympus at 1,952 meters which also hosts 4 ski slopes. The Troodos mountain range stretches across most of the western side of Cyprus. There are many famous mountain resorts, Byzantine monasteries and churches on mountain peaks, and nestling in its valleys and picturesque mountains are villages clinging to terraced hill slopes. The area has been known since ancient times for its mines, and in the Byzantine period it became a great centre of Byzantine art, as churches and monasteries were built in the mountains, away from the threatened coastline.

Geology of Troodos

Picture of a campsite in Troodos in 1900

Kalidonia river.

The Troodos mountains are known worldwide for their geology and the presence of undisturbed specimens of ophiolite, the Troodos Ophiolite. These mountains slowly rose from the sea due to the collision of the African and European tectonic plates, a process that eventually formed the island of Cyprus. The slowing and near-cessation of this process left the rock formations near intact, while subsequent erosion uncovered the magma chamber underneath the mountain, allowing a viewing of intact rocks and petrified pillow lava formed millions of years ago, an excellent example of ophiolite stratigraphy. The observations of the Troodos ophiolite by Ian Graham Gass and co-workers was one of the key points that led to the theory of sea floor spreading.

Climate

Climate data for Prodromos in Troödos Mountains, elevation: 1380 m (Satellite view)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	6.3 (43.3)	6.6 (43.9)	10.3 (50.5)	15.1 (59.2)	20.5 (68.9)	25.0 (77)	28.1 (82.6)	27.9 (82.2)	24.4 (75.9)	19.6 (67.3)	12.8 (55)	8.0 (46.4)	17.1 (62.8)
Daily mean °C (°F)	3.5 (38.3)	3.5 (38.3)	6.6 (43.9)	10.7 (51.3)	15.8 (60.4)	20.1 (68.2)	23.3 (73.9)	23.1 (73.6)	19.6 (67.3)	15.4 (59.7)	9.5 (49.1)	5.3 (41.5)	13.0 (55.4)
Average low °C (°F)	0.7 (33.3)	0.3 (32.5)	2.8 (37)	6.3 (43.3)	11.1 (52)	15.2 (59.4)	18.4 (65.1)	18.2 (64.8)	14.9 (58.8)	11.3 (52.3)	6.2 (43.2)	2.5 (36.5)	9.0 (48.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	133.4 (5.252)	123.6 (4.866)	82.3 (3.24)	56.9 (2.24)	26.0 (1.024)	40.0 (1.575)	12.1 (0.476)	10.0 (0.394)	9.5 (0.374)	24.0 (0.945)	102.5 (4.035)	169.7 (6.681)	790.1 (31.106)
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	12.4	11.2	9.8	6.7	3.7	2.1	0.7	0.7	1.4	3.5	7.4	11.2	70.7
Mean monthly sunshine hours	130.2	150.8	195.3	231.0	275.9	315.0	328.6	310.0	255.0	220.1	165.0	136.4	2,713.3
Source: Meteorological Service (Cyprus)^[1]

Churches

Further information: Painted Churches in the Troödos Region

Chapel of the Saint Mary near Klirou village

Panagia Forviothissa in Asinou village

The region is known for its many Byzantine churches and monasteries, richly decorated with murals, of which the Kykkos monastery is the richest and most famous. Nine churches and one monastery in Troodos together form a World Heritage Site, originally inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1985. The nine Byzantine churches are:

Stavros tou Ayiasmati
Panayia tou Araka
Timiou Stavrou at Pelendri
Ayios Nikolaos tis Stegis
Panayia Podithou
Assinou
Ayios loannis Lampadistis at Kalopanayiotis
Panayia tou Moutoula
Archangel Michael at Pedoulas
Transfiguration of the Saviour Palaichori

The area has been known since ancient times for its copper mines, and in the Byzantine period it became a great centre of Byzantine art, as churches and monasteries were built in the mountains, away from the threatened coastline.