Axeman's Travelfeed #021 - Saint Barnabas Monastery Part #01 - Behind The Photo Contest Entry (18 Photos)

---

Here we go with the entry for the next, 8th edition of "Behind the Photo Contest" run by @nelyp which you can find HERE

Today we are going to start our journey to Saint Barnabas Monastery located near Famagusta on Norther Cyprus.
This trip was few years ago to the Norther part of Cyprus, which is basically is still unrecognized (have official relations with Turkey only). One of the most sad cases in a recent history caused quite huge migrations of Greek Cypriots and Greek Turks from one side of the island to another and quite a strict border between them for quite a long time then.
This cause quite an abnormal mixture of cultural elements, like a Mosques being established in a previously Byzantine and then Orthodox churches, abandoned Greek cemetery's and so on... Very unusual to see really

Saint Barnabas Monastery is actually orthodox. And being on present Norther and Muslim part of the Island is still tries to survive as quite a big museum with various activities around. Though you could see on a story below, general condition is far from the excellent. Well, Norther Cyprus facing too many economical problems still due not being recognized territory... Even no direct flight possible from outside, only from Turkey

Back to the Monastery, and here is short information taking from SOURCE

Quote

The St Barnabas monastery and Icon museum is situated close to the Royal Tombs between Tuzla and Salamis. The site consists of a church, now serving as an icon museum, the monastery, now housing an archaeological collection, and a chapel housing the remains of the saint.

The building that we see today dates from the 1750s. Once the centre of the Cyprus Orthodox church, the monastery is still in good condition. Outside the church there is a courtyard, surrounded on three sides by buildings that once housed the monks and pilgrims coming to pray at the monastery.
About 100 yards from the monastery, there is a small mausoleum built on the spot where the saint's remains were discovered. There are 14 steps which take you down to the cave under the building where the body of St Barnabas was hidden by his friends. The tomb was renovated (which included building the steps) in 1953.

In 1991, a restoration project was started. The church has been restored and has been turned into a more comprehensive icon museum with the addition of new icons. The garden was redone, and the rooms of the monastery have become an archaeological museum. The monastery of St Barnabas is very important to the Orthodox Church, and is considered a place of pilgrimage.

Unquote

Lets go and see first how it looks from the outside

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

And for today we are going inside the most interesting part of museum - inside the main chapel with a collection of icons.

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

^{Be sure to click on the image to view full screen!}

---

All shots done just with quite a standard range zoom lens 24-70mm allowing to make both quite a wide angle shots and standard portrait views.

In part 2 will continue journey around the monastery visiting other locations. Enjoy!

---

---

Category	TRAVEL/CITYSCAPE
Camera	Canon 6D / Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L

From now on You can buy my works in hi-resolution digital format for ETH/USD

MAKERSPLACE