AGIOS NIKOLAOS TON GATON MONASTERY

The Greek Orthodox monastery "St Nicholas of the Cats" (Ιερά Μονή Αγίου Νικολάου των Γάτων/Iera Moni Agiou Nikolaou ton Gaton, Holy Monastery of St Nicholas of the Cats) is a rather astonishing place: a hundred cats reside here along with a few nuns. Founded between the ^12th and ^14th centuries, it is dedicated to St. Nicholas, patron saint of fishermen. It owes its current name to the felines that helped chase away the venomous snakes that infested the area in the ^15th century and eventually discouraged monks and fishermen from living there. Local tradition has a different version: the monastery is said to have been founded in the ^4th century by Saint Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine. She is said to have sent a ship filled with 1,000 tomcats from Constantinople, Egypt and Palestine to combat the snakes. The habit of using cats against pests was later extended to other monasteries in the Mediterranean and Cyprus, as is still the case at the Agios Neophytos monastery in Tala, near Paphos. The place is pleasant (unless you're allergic to cat's hair), flower-filled and well-kept. Many parts of the complex date back to the ^14th and ^15th centuries, notably the porch and nave of the church. The latter was partially rebuilt in the ^18th century, but retains some of its original frescoes: apostles Peter and Paul, portraits of members of the Lusignan dynasty.