The ruins of Lambousa #2 − St Evlalios Church Traditional Cache

Evlavlios Church, Lambousa. Built in 2th-9th and 12th centuries, it has a Franco & Byzantine architecture style, and was erected by Archbishop Neophytos in the 16th century. It is situated on the site of Lambousa or Lapithos, an ancient city founded by Phoenician traders in the 8th century BC. Lambousa is located on the north coast of North Cyprus, close to the port of Kyrenia.

ST. EVALIOS CHURCH
St.Evalios Church can be found at the centre of the Lambousa ruins. Evalios was one of the first settlements of the ‘Sea of Laphites’. But this structure, belonging to the 15th century, has fortunately been preserved in a good state. The most attractive characteristic of its interior are the separate grey cipollino marble columns which serve to hold up the passage in the large central area of the church. The three columns have been painstakingly and carefully sculptured to match the circumference of the fourth one, also the upper part of this structure has been embossed with a Byzantine Cross. This church is situated on the coast, north east of the Ahkiropietos Monastery. Its architectural characteristics are a combination of Gothic and Byzantine styles.  The existing church, belonging to the Early Christian period, is believed to have been built over the remnants of a large church (presumed to belong to XV-XIV A.D centuries). One of the columns of the arch (4 in number) belonging to the old structure is inscribed with a Byzantine Cross. Studies during the excavation of the church revealed remnants of three mosaic ground coverings on top of each other that belonged to three different periods. Supported by this information, the church is believed to have overhauled three times and dated back to, in sequential order, VI, XI and XVI A.D.