Agia Kyriaki Byzantine Church wins Europa Nostra Prize 2018

Greece’s 8^th Century Byzantine Church Agia Kyriaki, on Naxos island is one of the winners of the 2018 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards, which is one of Europe’s top honours in the heritage field.

The church contains 8th and 9th Century wall paintings that were reconstructed by a joint Greek and Swiss team, the announcement said.

The winners of the EU prize, from 177 countries, were recognised for their notable achievements in conservation, research, dedicated service, and education, training and awareness-raising, were announced by the European Commission and Europa Nostra on Tuesday.

The restoration of the Byzantine church of Agia Kyriaki on Naxos, included Greece among the outstanding European heritage “success stories” awarded in the “Conservation” category for 2018.

Greece was also awarded in the same category for its contribution, along with Egypt and Italy, to the Collaborative Conservation of the Apse Mosaic of the Transfiguration in the Basilica at St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai.