Apostolos Andreas Monastery can be found in the north of Cyprus just south of Cape Apostolos Andreas in Rizokarpaso. This location is more to the north east of Cyprus in the Karpasia Peninsula. The dedication of the monastery is to Saint Andrew and is the most important site is Cyprus Orthodox Church.
This monastery is considered a holy site by the Cypriots but also the Turkish Cypriots too. This is the reason for the many visitors who visit the monastery to pray. The belief of the monastery being a holy place actually starts before the monastery was even built.
History has it that when the ship from the Holy Land which was carrying Saint Andrews somehow reared of course and actually hit the rocks at the Cape. When the crew reached land, Andrew hit the rocks at shore with a stick where a spring of water came rushing out. It happened that these waters from the spring had healing powers as the captain of the ship gained sight in the one eye, he was bling in. This is how the place became holy.
A secure monastery was found here in the 12th century. Later in the 15th century a smaller monastery was built on the edge of the coast. However, the main monastery dates back to the 18th century and the other newer building was actually built 100 years later.
In the front of the monastery there is a courtyard with a fountain in the middle. Buildings all around this courtyard were built for a few reasons. One wing was built to house visitors, there were also dining rooms, a bakery and even a kitchen. In the other wings there was a two-story Archbishopric lodge and the Syndal and Economy House of the monastery and some auxiliary rooms too.
During the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 things changed. From then onwards there were not many visitors to the monastery. This changed in 2004 when they agreed upon some crossing points to open up and allow both sides to travel to the other side for visits.
When the Cypriots finally visited the monastery after these crossing points were opened, they discovered the damages to the monastery. In 2008 a restoration began to make sure the holy monastery would not be completely destroyed. There were many delays due to many disputes by both sides in Cyprus but the restoration re-started in 2014. Since then, the monastery continues to accept many people visiting the monastery every day.
