The church of Panagia tou Araka is situated in a central area of the Troodos mountains, in the area of Pitsilia, between the villages of Lagoudera and Saranti. In 1985 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, which includes nine other painted Byzantine churches of the Troodos range…. Panagia tou Araka used to be the katholicon (monastery church) of a monastery bearing the same name which seems to have been built during the second half of the 12th century, when monastic life was flourishing in Cyprus.When Vassili Barsky, a Russian monk, visited the island in 1735, the monastery was almost abandoned and was only inhabited by three monks.

Cyprus, being predominantly Christian Orthodox, has a great number of Byzantine monuments. Ten of these hold such historical and artistic significance and hold such value that UNESCO has included them in its list of World Heritage Sites. All ten churches dating from the 11th to the 17th century are located in the mountainous region of Troodos…The Marathasa route: Kalopanagiotis – Moutoullas – Pedoulas (route length of 148 km). This route includes the Marathasa monuments: Monastery of Agios Ioannis toy Lambadisti in Kalopanagiotis, Church of Panagia in Moutoula and the church of Archangelos Michael in Pedoulas. Cyprus, being predominantly Christian Orthodox, has a great number of Byzantine monuments.

Ten of these hold such historical and artistic significance and hold such value that UNESCO has included them in its list of World Heritage Sites. All ten churches dating from the 11th to the 17th century are located in the mountainous region of Troodos. The route has been geographically divided in to three regions in order to tour them properly and in a convenient way: The Marathasa route: Kalopanagiotis – Moutoullas – Pedoulas (route length of 148 km).

This route includes the Marathasa monuments: Monastery of Agios Ioannis toy Lambadisti in Kalopanagiotis, Church of Panagia in Moutoula and the church of Archangelos Michael in Pedoulas. The Pitsilia route: Lagoudera – Platanistasa – Pelendri – Palaichori (route length of 97 km). This route includes the Pitsilia monuments: Monastery of Panagia tou Araka in Lagoudera, Church of Stavrou tou Agiasmati in Platanistasa, Monastery of Timios Stavros and Church of Archangelos Michael in Pelendri, Church of Agios Mamas in Louvara and the Church of Metamorfosis in Palaichori.

The Solea route: Nikitari – Galata – Kakopetria (route length of 138 km). This route includes the Solea Monuments: Church of Panagia tis Asinou, Church of Panagia tis Forviotissa in Nikitari, the Churches of Panagia Podithou, Archangelou, Panagia and Agios Sozomenos Churches in Galata and the Church of Agios Nikolaos tis Stefis in Kakopetria.