The Monastery of St Nicholas of the Cats is located near Akrotiri, Cyprus. According to legend, Saint Helena (mother of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great) founded the monastery in the 4th Century AD. Helena is said to have imported hundreds of cats to exterminate countless venomous snakes that plagued the island due to a terrible drought. Another legend states that Constantine the Great had the cats imported himself, requiring the monastery's monks to care for them.
Following the Ottoman invasion of Cyprus in AD 1570, the Monastery was completely destroyed and the cats dispersed. Many believe this explains the large number of stray cats living throughout the island. The monastery was reconstructed again in the 14th century (the existing church dates to this period), but was abandoned in the late 16th century. In 1983, it became a convent once again, housing a few nuns who take care of the cats and paint icons. It is currently open year round (almost) daily for visitors.
