Conservation work at Asha church completed

Conservation works on the perimeter wall at the Panagia church in the village of Asha in the north have been completed, the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage (TCCH) announced on Thursday.

The works, which were part of a larger plan to support cultural heritage monuments in Cyprus, were funded by the EU and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The 15th century church, which was selected as part of the priority intervention projects, benefitted from two phases of conservation works.

The first phase began in November 2018 and consisted of soft cleaning of wall surfaces, structural consolidation and protection of historical plasters, roof and crack repairs, installation of a drainage system in the yard, provision of new floor material and restoration of walls, windowsills and doorsills. Following the installation of a drainage system, the first phase of conservation works ended in September 2019.

In January 2020, the TCCH agreed to proceed with additional conservation works at the perimeter wall of Panagia church.

The second phase of works began in December 2020 and included vegetation removal, repair and rebuilding of the existing perimeter walls, the installation of a drainage system in the yard and construction of the access landing. The second phase of conservation works ended in May 2021, marking the completion of the project.

“Through its work, TCCH aims not only to restore the monuments, but also to create an atmosphere for building confidence and a culture of peace on the island of Cyprus,” a statement released by the TCCH said.

“Each conservation site is a reflection of the cultures behind it as well as an intersection of civilizations. Thanks to the cooperation of TCCH, UNDP and the EU, the common cultural heritage of the island continues to be preserved.”

Since 2012, 88 cultural heritage sites islandwide have been conserved, structurally supported, physically protected or restored by TCCH and UNDP, with funding from the EU.

Approximately €22.4m has been provided by the European Commission to implement the priorities of the TCCH for the preservation of the islandwide cultural heritage in Cyprus.