Church of Profitis Ilias, Protaras
The Church of Profitis Ilias is situated a little before the heart of the tourist area of Protaras and more specifically it is located on a remote granite rock.
Profitis Ilias Church was built in 1984 in the place of a previous chapel. The church is made of stone and is of byzantine architecture.
It is also worth mentioning that the church of Profitis Ilias is so high that it can be admired from all sides. In order to get to the chapel one must climb up steep stairs with 153 steps, however the view is fantastic. From the rock one can see the whole area of Protaras. The endless sea can be seen from the east and to the north one can see the occupied land of Ammochostos, Pentadaktylos and Karpasia.
There is a reason why all chapels dedicated to Prophet Ilias are built on mountains. According to tradition, Prophet Ilias was a sailor and when he got tired of sailing he decided to live somewhere inland where nobody knew what a boat was. Once he found an area near the mountains where nobody knew what an oar was, he lived there for the rest of his life.
The presence of the church is highlighted even more during the night time as the lights fall upon it. A park has also been created near Profitis Ilias Church where visitors can relax and have a drink.
Lastly, the church is considered a tourist attraction for both tourists and locals and celebrates on the 20th of July with great festivities.
