The Church of our lady of Chrysaliniotissa (Panagia Chrysaliniotissa) in Nicosia was built in honor of the Virgin Mary. Its name means "our lady of the Golden flax" in Greek. This name is associated with the miraculous finding of the icon of the Mother of God.

According to legend, in the field where flax was grown, in the 11th century, an icon of the Mother of God was found, in whose honor the temple was built. According to another version, which is held by several scientists, the site was hidden by a Golden field of flax ruins of an earlier Byzantine temple, presumably built in the 5th century. Continuity was preserved: the newly rebuilt Church received the first name of the virgin Chrysaliniotissa.

Especially active arrangement and repair of the Church were carried out since the mid-15th century, this was facilitated by the patronage of Elena Palaiologos, wife of King John II of Cyprus.

Centuries have passed unnoticed, but a small Church has been preserved, and now this building is the earliest Byzantine Church in Nicosia. The Church complex consists of three buildings, built at different times, and, despite the difference in styles, organically adjacent to each other.

Inside the Church, you can see fragments of preserved ancient paintings. The Church iconostasis is made of wood, decorated with relief carvings, with gilded angels, birds and animals and covers all four aisles of the Church.

The Church contains several very rare icons and Christian relics. The Panagia Chrysaliniotissa icon is placed to the right of the Royal Gate in the Central nave. The image of the virgin Mary belongs to the iconographic type of Eleus (Merciful), whose "authorship" is attributed to the Apostle Luke.

Icons depicting key points from the New Testament are located in the center of the main nave. There you can also see images Of the feast of Orthodoxy, images of the Twelve Apostles and the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.

One of the most valuable assets of the church is the holy relics of the martyrs, which are displayed in the center of the main nave.

The wooden iconostasis in the south aisle is decorated with images of Cypriot saints. This church has so many valuable Christian shrines that you can visit it as a museum.