In the center of Polis stands an ancient little church, presumably of the XVI century. There is no exact data on the time of its construction, but the wall paintings clearly date back to the Venetian period, that is, the years 1489-1570. The church was built in honor of Saint Andronicus, who was a craftsman and gave most of his income to the church and those in need.
When Cyprus was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish rulers were at first quite tolerant of Christians. But then Turks began to prevail among the population, and in 1963 it was decided to convert the church into a mosque. A northern vault was added to it, and Muslim prayers were held there until 1974.
After the division of the island, the church was returned to Christians. A long restoration process began. When the layer of asbestos applied by the Turks was removed, ancient frescoes appeared. Dozens of art historians and archaeologists came here. The style of the frescoes indicates that they were painted by Greeks.
Among the newly rediscovered paintings, one can see biblical scenes of the Ascension, the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the Sacrifice of Abraham, and other events from the life of Christ and the Mother of God. Also, during excavations and restoration, archaeologists discovered objects belonging to four different periods. They were preserved, so now visitors can see the various architectural phases of the monument.
