Archbishopric and Byzantine Museum
Seat of the head of the Church of Cyprus and the Byzantine Museum with the Kanakaria mosaic
The story
The Archbishopric in old Nicosia is the residence of the archbishop, the head of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus. The new palace, in the Neo-Byzantine style, was finished in 1960 under Makarios the Third. He was archbishop and also the first president of the Republic of Cyprus. Next to it stand the old Archbishopric from the 18th century and the Cathedral of Saint John. The Byzantine Museum of the Archbishop Makarios the Third Foundation is here too. Its first hall opened in 1982. Among its exhibits are pieces of a 6th-century mosaic from the Church of Panagia Kanakaria. That church stands in the north of the island, which the Republic of Cyprus has not controlled since 1974. After 1974 the mosaic was cut out and taken abroad illegally. Some of the pieces were recovered, including in 1991 by a court ruling in the United States.
The Byzantine Museum is on the grounds of the Archbishopric in Nicosia. According to an unofficial review of the July 2026 session, this question came up. It is also worth remembering that Makarios III was both archbishop and the first president of the Republic of Cyprus.
Visiting
After renovation the Byzantine Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9:30–17:00, ticket 7 euros (as stated in the Foundation’s March 2025 announcement; better check before you visit). The new palace is the archbishop’s working residence.
On the way
Photos
Sources
- Archbishop Makarios III Foundation — Βυζαντινό Μουσείο (museum page)
- Archbishop Makarios III Foundation — announcement of the Byzantine Museum reopening (March 2025)
- Nicosia Municipality — Archbishop’s Palace
- Deputy Ministry of Tourism — audio guide “Byzantine Museum of the Foundation Archbishop Makarios III” (PDF)
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