The Beginnings

According to the locals, Ayia Napa was founded around the 11th century. At that time, it was a heavily wooded area with many natural springs, and its abundant wildlife made it a favorite hunting ground among villagers who were living in the surrounding regions. One day, a hunter and his dog were in pursuit of a wild hare, and it led them to a cave. Upon entering the cave, the hunter found a Virgin Mary icon that was illuminated by a miraculous light. When the nearby villagers received news of the discovery of the icon, they decided to build a shrine in the cave, and they named it “Ayia Napa”. Soon, the shrine became a well-known place of pilgrimage for Orthodox Christians.

Establishment of the Monastery

Archaeological findings show that the shrine was transformed into a church sometime around the 14th century, and it was later expanded into a building with 2 separate sections. During the time of the Venetian Occupation around the beginning of the 16th century, a wealthy woman from the distinguished Famagusta family sought refuge in the monastery. She renovated the monastery and added a number of new buildings, a fountain, and a sycamore tree. The monastery became her place of residence until her death, and her sarcophagus was later found in the courtyard. The Ayia Napa monastery gained importance throughout the duration of the Venetian Occupation, and it was mentioned in many manuscripts from that era.

The Ottoman Occupation and the Village of Ayia Napa

When Cyprus was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, the monastery continued to prosper, and it had a number of monastic embassies in the region. The surrounding areas remained uninhabited until 1790, when a young Thessaloniki man and his wife decided to build a home just outside the monastery. Soon, more people started to set up homes in the area, and Ayia Napa became a village.

The Village Becomes a Tourist Resort

After the village was established, the monastery became inactive, and its rooms were used for educational and recreational activities. The church in the monastery served as the parish church of the village for many years. After a new church was built in 1990, it became the venue for baptisms and weekday services. Over the years, Ayia Napia was transformed from a sleeping village to a modern tourist resort, and it is presently known as one of the most popular travel destinations in Cyprus.

 

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Ayia Napa history starts with an ancient legend. Legend has it many years ago, a young hunter following his prey entered into the forest of Ayia Napa . As he got deeper, he came across a cave. On entering this cave, he found a statue of Saint Panaya, the Virgin Mary mother of Christ. After discovering this cave, he constructed the land into a Church and named the city Virgin Mary of Napa after Saint Panaya. However, after time, shortened to what today is Ayia Napa, which means the holy wooden valley. That same cave exists still today. There has been discussion over the possibility of this cave existing as protection for monks to hide away from invading pirates during that time. According to legend, however, there was no one inhabitants of the land until the late 1700s.

 

During its early years, Ayia Napa started out as a poor village. The people are from Thessaloniki who fled there home country due to a plague. They had very little resources and got by only from what they could catch. Unfortunately, many did die from the disease, those that could no shake it and left only a few who remained. Several of the young men fell in love with the young women of the near by villages and took them as there wives. Thus, populating the area and cultivating the city. By this time, the monastery was no longer active and the people began to use the vacant space to teach the young children. Some time later, they built a new church and used the old one for more simple duties such as baptisms.

 

As time went on, the people and city did flourish. However, the city suffered an attack by the country of Turkey . Ridding the people years of hard work, they took the bad and reshaped the city. Seeing the city in a different light, the local government focused its attention on the tourist industry to grow again. They began to build completely anew catering to local party seekers, hard works and families searching for a great vacation destination. Today, Ayia Napa is one of the most popular tourist spots in Cyprus . The city has developed into a popular pick for the holidays due to its beautiful clear blue beaches with golden sands and many tourist attractions. Ayia Napa has become one of the world’s most popular destinations and visited by numerous people from all over the world. It is also become very well known for its outstanding nightclubs and bars, catering people of any age. They offer an abundance of things to do whether you are young or old. When it comes to culture, many places still maintain the Cyprus tradition. The island is only a mile and a half hour drive long and can visit many places in one day. Cypriot hospitality is a friendly and cheerful and the people treat you as if you are family. They have good food, good service and excellent hospitality. Cyprus is a beautiful Mediterranean island enjoyed by everyone.