Bellapais Abbey: visiting, history and the village
Last verified 19 October 2026
Bellapais Abbey is a ruined Gothic abbey from the Lusignan period, and one of the most rewarding places to spend an hour on the north coast. It stands at the edge of the village of Bellapais (Beylerbeyi in Turkish), on a terrace in the Kyrenia Mountains above Kyrenia (Keryneia, Girne), looking down to the sea. The name is usually traced to the French “belle paix”, beautiful peace, and on a quiet morning in the cloister it is easy to see why it stuck.
A short history
The abbey was founded under Aimery de Lusignan, king of Cyprus, and the first buildings date from between 1198 and 1205. It was dedicated as the Abbey of St Mary of the Mountain.
Sources differ on exactly who the founders were. Most histories say the first community was the Canons Regular of the Holy Sepulchre, who had left Jerusalem after it fell to Saladin in 1187. Some guidebooks describe the abbey as Augustinian, which is not as far apart as it sounds, since canons of this kind followed the Rule of St Augustine. Within a few years, in 1206, the house became Premonstratensian, an order known as the White Canons or Norbertines, and it stayed with them for most of its life.
Most of what stands today came later. The main buildings went up under King Hugh III, who reigned from 1267 to 1284, and the cloister and the great refectory under Hugh IV, between 1324 and 1359. Hugh IV is said to have had apartments built here for his own use.
The good years did not last. In 1373 Genoese raiders stripped the abbey of its portable valuables, and by the time the Venetians held Cyprus at the end of the 15th century, discipline among the canons had collapsed. After the Ottoman conquest of 1571 the canons were expelled and the church was handed to the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, serving the village for centuries after. Under British rule the refectory floor was cemented and the hall used as a hospital, and in 1912 the curator of ancient monuments, George Jeffery, carried out repairs.
What to see
The church. The 13th century church is the best preserved part of the abbey, with a nave, two aisles and a choir under a flat roof, and a belfry that still has one bell. Inside are a carved pulpit and a bishop’s throne. It remained in use as the village church until 1976.
The cloister. The heart of the abbey, a square of Gothic arcades from the 14th century, with tall cypress trees in the garth. Look for the two Roman sarcophagi set under one of the arches: the canons reused them as basins for washing their hands before meals.
The refectory. The reason most people come. This vaulted dining hall on the north side of the cloister is about 30 metres long and 10 metres wide, lit by a rose window at the east end and by windows that look straight out over the coast. Set into the north wall is the pulpit from which a canon read aloud during meals. Over the main doorway is a carved Lusignan coat of arms.
The chapter house and undercroft. On the east side of the cloister. The chapter house, where the canons met to run the abbey’s business, keeps some of its Gothic carving. Beside it the undercroft held workrooms, with the canons’ cells on the floor above, now gone.
The kitchen court. On the west side of the cloister, reduced to a few walls. Stairs from the cloister lead up to the roof, which gives the best view of the whole site and the sea beyond.
The village and Durrell
Bellapais village. The village climbs the slope behind the abbey in narrow lanes. It is a pleasant place to walk for half an hour after your visit, though the lanes are steep.
Lawrence Durrell. The British writer lived in Bellapais from 1953 to 1956 and wrote about those years in Bitter Lemons, still the best known book about life in Cyprus in the 1950s. His house is up a steep lane in the village and carries a plaque.
The Tree of Idleness. Durrell wrote of the tree where the men of Bellapais drank coffee, played cards and talked, and warned that anyone who sat under it would find serious work impossible. Two spots in the village claim to be the tree, and the book never settles which, so enjoy both claims without taking either too seriously.
Concerts and events
The refectory makes a fine concert hall, and the abbey has hosted classical music for years. In 2025 the International North Cyprus Music Festival, run by the Cyprus Music Association, held its 23rd edition at the abbey from 23 September to 16 November, and there has also been a spring festival in past years. Dates change each year, so check the current programme before planning around a concert.
Visiting
Getting there. Bellapais is a short, steep drive up from Kyrenia. You will need a car or a taxi: see our guide to car hire in the north, and if you are coming from the south, the crossing points. The village lanes are narrow and steep, so take them slowly.
How long to allow. An hour is enough for the abbey itself. Add another hour if you want to walk up through the village.
Best time of day. Early morning or late afternoon, when the light in the cloister is softest and the site is quieter. The cloister and church give some shade, but the roof and the open courts get hot in the middle of a summer day.
On foot. Flat shoes are fine for the abbey, though floors are worn and uneven in places and there are steps up to the roof. The village lanes are steep for anyone with limited mobility.
Fees and hours. Entry is a small fee, paid in Turkish lira. We could not find reliable current opening hours, so check locally before you go.
Weddings. The refectory and cloister are popular for wedding photos, and on busy days you may share the site with a bridal party.
Nearby
Bellapais pairs well with a morning in Kyrenia harbour or an afternoon at St Hilarion Castle, on the ridge to the west. See the Kyrenia area guide for both, and our Kyrenia beaches guide for somewhere to swim afterwards.