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Southwest of Nicosia, at a distance of 42 kilometres, Palaichori is located. It has an altitude of 930 meters and is surrounded by high mountain tops. Which can reach up to 1200 meters in altitude. Its residents are about one thousand. The amphitheatrical placement it has is unique. Separated in the middle from a tributary river of the Serrachi river.
Palaichori Morphou
Southwest of Nicosia, at a distance of 42 kilometres, Palaichori is located. It has an altitude of 930 meters and is surrounded by high mountain tops. Which can reach up to 1200 meters in altitude. Its residents are about one thousand. The amphitheatrical placement it has is unique. Separated in the middle from a tributary river of the Serrachi river.
The division gives the two regions of Palaichori their corresponding names : Palaichori Orinis and Palaichori Morphou. The exquisite scenery was highlighted by the writer R.Gunnis in his book ‘Historic Cyprus’, when he visited in 1935.
The history of Palaihcori is lost along the unexplored past. We don’t have clues as to when exactly the first residents settled here, coming from the plains and seaside locations. However, it is certain that after the Arabic raids (the first from the caliph Mu’awiya I in 648/49 A.D.) the resident of the seaside regions begun settling systematically in the Troodos mountains, hence in the region of Pitsilia as well. This is how most of the current mountain villages of Cyprus were founded. A new Byzantine world was born. Pat of this world was Palaichori.
For the first time the name Palaichori (Palaiochorio) is referred to in 1237, just a few years after the Franks conquered Cyprus.The characteristic “paleo” confirms its existence already since the byzantine, at least, years. Moreover, since the name is Greek, its founding must be placed during the byzantine years, since of it was founded during the Frankish rule, it would probably have a foreign name. Hence, in 1237, Palaichori was conceded from the king of Cyprus Eric II to the Knights Templar of the Small Commandery of Temple (Kerinia) (S. Pauli, Codice diplomatico del Sacro Militare Ordine… vol. I. p. 127). According to de Mas Latri, Palaichori, after a decree by te French king Phillip IV, with a prompt of the Pope, was granted to the knight of St. John who had their headquarters in Kolossi. This happened after the dissolution og the Templar Knights, which took place between 1308 and 1314. In addition, during the Frankish rule (1192-1489) it had been a fief under the occupation of the large family of the house of Ibelin.
References of Palaichori are found in Venetian maps. All the chartigraphers, such as Fraco in 1570, Ortelius 1573, Blaeu 1653, Janssonius 1637 and Valk and Schenk in 1705, consistently give the name Palaichori. In a copy in the records of Venice on December 11th 1566, which mentions the liberation of the serfdom of Palaichori, the village is reffrenced as Puliocori.
In Palaichori notable monuments have been built. First of all are its temples. The most notable one, chronologically temple is the one of Apostle Luke, which was unfortunately demolished in 1924, to be replaced by a bigger one. From the old temple, only the bell tower was salvaged as well as a few pices of the chapiters and arches, which are now preserved in the adjacent old primary school. According tot G. Jeffery ( A Description of the Historic Monuments of Cyprus, Nicosia 1918), who visited Palaichori in 1916, on the floor of the old temple a section of the opus sectile was preserved, similar to the one in Acheiropoietos in Lampousa. This is especially important since it leads to dating long before the 10th century. The frescoes were intensely influenced by the Italian art of the 15th century.
Also, another important temple is the one of Panagia Chrysopantanassa found in the village centre. A gabled wooden roofed temple. Built in the 16h century. During the same century chronologically the excellent wall frescoes of the temple are also dated. In The Holy Pothesis, inside the temple’s chancel, the litterateur Nikos Nikolaides the Cypriot, left his stamp by illustrating in 1904 the Birth of the Christ.
However, the church that is the pride and joy of Palaichori is the Transfiguration of the Saviour ( Metamorfosi tou Sotiros), with frescoes that date back to the second decade of the 16th century, This small wooden roofed temple, belongs since December 2001 to the list of Monuments of World Heritage of UNESCO. The wall frescoes of the church are excellent and they are in good condition. The fresco ‘’Lady of Angels’’ (Kyria ton Aggelon), illustrated on the niche of the arch of the chancel, became a letter stamp of the State, while in another wall mural Saint Demetris and George are presented riding their horses. In Cyprus this is the only time the two saints are pictured together on horseback. In fact, Saint George had extended his arm and touched the shoulder of Saint Demetris. Finally, two more churches have murals : the church of Saint George and the chapel of Agioi Anargyroi Kosma and Damianou.
One of the two murals in the church if Saint George also belongs to Nikos Noklaides and illustrates Saint Marina and her testification. (1905)
Other important monuments of Palaichori are:
• The museum of Byzantine Heritage of Palaichori in the village centre, where rare ecclesiastical relics are housed.
• The medieval olive press and the old Primary School in the yard of the church if Apostle Luke.
• The hideout of Gregoris Afxentiou, house of Andreas and Maritsas Karaoli.
• The statue of the Cypriot Mother, which was placed on an eminence where it towers over the community, to remind everyone the participation of the citizens of Palaihori in the Liberation fight of EOKA and the sacrifice of its worthy children, Michalaki Karaoli, Kyriakos Matsi and Nikos Georgiou.
• The home pf the fighter Plikarpos Giorkatzis, in the village centre
• The home of the hero Kyriakos Matsi.
• The monument dedicated to the fallen and missing persons during the Turkish invasion in 1974, near the regional primary school: Antonis Pavlides, Andreas Kouroufexis, Andreas Savvopoulos, Nikos Poumbouris, Andreas Eleftheriadis and Georgios Pavlou
• The regions of exquisite natural beauty, such as the valley of Maroullenas and the region on the top of Papoytas at an altitude of 1554m.
Museum of Byzantine Heritage
Housed in a two-storey traditional architecture home, renovated especially for its use as a museum, it is located in the community centre, near the Panagia church. In the two rooms of the museum the most notable pieces of religious art are exhibited, as well as other relics which were kept through the centuries. Chronologically they cover the periods from the 14th to the 20th century.
EOKA Hideout 1955-59
The House – Museum of Polykarpos Georgadjis
Metamorfosis tou Sotiros Church
Church of Panagia Chrysopantanassa
Metamorfosis tou Sotiros Church
The church of Metamorfoseos tou Sotiros since 2000 is part of the nine other byzantine churches found in Troodos…
Metamorfosis tou Sotiros Church
The church of Metamorfoseos tou Sotiros since 2000 is part of the nine other byzantine churches found in Troodos decorated with wall frescoes, in the list of World Heritage Monuments of UNESCO. The church was built at the start of the 16th century and belongs to the architectural type of a single isled wooden roofed temple. The narthex, which appears to have existed since at least the beginning of the 17th century, extends west and south of the temple in the form of an alley, and is covered by the same gabled roof. The inside of the temple is ornamented. Decorated by wall frescoes dating to the beginning of the 16th century, in time with the building of the temple. The wall murals are part of one of the most completed pictorial sets of the post-byzantine art of Cyprus.
Church of Panagia Chrysopantanassa
The external appearance of the church is characterised by an intense traditionalcolour, since the whole church is covered in stone. …
Church of Panagia Chrysopantanassa
The external appearance of the church is characterised by an intense traditionalcolour, since the whole church is covered in stone. At the same time, the church is covered by a gabled wooden roof, with tiles, known as French type. Inside the temple consists of three isles. The east part of the temple leads to a hemisphere internal arch covered in a quarter dome. The rescued church consists a built of the 16th century, perhaps even older, which underwent a series of renovations and modifications, since the end of the 19th century and the end of the 20th century.
Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis Unesco Church
“Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis” (literally, Saint Nicholas of the Roof), located close to the mountainous Kakopetria, is the only…
Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis Unesco Church
“Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis” (literally, Saint Nicholas of the Roof), located close to the mountainous Kakopetria, is the only thing remaining from an old monastery. As it is made obvious by the church, the monastery was established in the 11 th century. However, we have no other information about it. The ceramic (brick and tile) decor of the church associates it with Constantinople and the Greek region in general. The monastery seems to have flourished both during the Middle Byzantine era as well as the Frank domination era, judging by the repeated decoration of the church with frescoes and the large -dedicated by a Frank Knight at the end of the 13 th century -icon of St Nicholas. The monastery seems to have already declined by the 17 th century and dispersed at the end of that century. When in 1735 the Russian monk Basil Barsky visited it, he met some monks there too. Later on, the estates of the monastery were leased to clergymen and by the end of the 19 th century to laymen.
The “Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis” church is of the cross-in-a-box style with a dome.
UNESCO has included the church of “St Nicholas of the Roof” in the list of Worldwide Cultural heritage, because of its special value.
Agios Panteleimon Church
With donations and after an initiative by the inhabitants of the Kakopetria community, the -now -main church of the…
Agios Panteleimon Church
The Museum is housed in the yard of the Church of Soteros, at the old picturesque neighbourhood of Kakopetria.
With donations and after an initiative by the inhabitants of the Kakopetria community, the -now -main church of the village was recently constructed. The re-construction of the church started in 1989 and ended in 1994. It is a rather large church with a capacity of 700 persons.
Architecturally, it is built in the Byzantine style with a dome. Externally it is coated with plaster and temporarily whitewashed -although there are plans for a facing made with local stone.
Internally the church has started being covered with frescoes. Above the chancel there is the fresco of the “Platytera” and further above those of the “Resurrection”, the “Annunciation”, and various other frescoes with representations of saints. The icon screen, which has three gates, the “Orea Pyli” (Beautiful gate) in the centre, the other two to the left and to the right, is woodcut; the same goes for the Psalters and the High Priest’s throne. In the west side of the church at the “Narthex”, beneath the women’s loft, there is a special kneeling desk where the icon dedicated to St Panteleimon lies. There -by the Narthex -are two arches, one to the left and one to the right. There are plans to have a special area there for a baptistery in the future. Quite important is the presence of the amphitheatre-like women’s loft, which allows the faithful to observe the various religious ceremonies in comfort.
The memory of St Panteleimon is celebrated on the 27 th of July, when many Christians from the surrounding regions attend this great holiday.
E.O.K.A Heroes Monuments
E.O.K.A Heroes Monuments
In the village centre, next to the church of Panagia, the monument of the three heroes of Palaichori, who sacrificed their lives in the fight of EOKA, stands out. The heroes are Michalis Karaolis, Kyriakos Matsi and Nikos Georgiou.
Petra tou Antrogynou
Petra tou Antrogynou
The “Petra tou Antrogynou” (stone of the married couple) is situated in the entrance of Palia Kakopetria, near the upgrade road that leads to the church of Transfiguration. There are many traditions related to the “Petra tou Antrogynou”. Each couple after their wedding they went to the big stone where a special ceremony took place. First of all, the couple should walk around the stone and then sit on it. Then, all the friends of the couple congratulated them and wished them to have a happy marriage. Another version of the custom says that the couple just sat on the stone so that their marriage would be very happy. These traditions give an excellent explanation to the name of the stone, and they offer a special “scent” to the customs of Kakopetria. On the other hand the “Petra tou Antrogynou” is related with an unpleasant event, which took place in the village. After one wedding ceremony, a couple went to the stone in order to realize the above custom. Unfortunately the stone started to move and crushed a couple of the guests. Another tradition says that the village “Kakopetria”, which in Greek means bad stone, was given after the unpleasant story that took place at the “Petra tou Antrogynou”.
Kakopetria Forest
Kakopetria Forest
Dominating pine-trees, platan-trees and poplars prevail in the green scenery, in contrast to acacias and oak trees which only constitute minor “brushworks” of this idyllic picture. This “image of natural vegetation” is completed, as Karouzis characteristically remarks, by “wild olive trees, Cistaceae and other types of wild vegetation”. Cultivated at the village are several fruit-baring trees such as apple, pear, plum, cherry trees, apricot and fig trees, as well as vegetables. Particularly recognized are the apples produced in Kakopetria known as “kakopetritika”, the naming of which derives from their place of production. Also distinguished, as Karouzis distinctively describes, is the “abundance of grape pergolas, which can either be found above the verandas of the houses or in the small broken fields. These pergolas supply the residents and the market of Lefkosia with late “veriko” type grapes”. Kakopetria is ideal for nature lovers since, apart from the green beauties, the village maintains the “Trail of Atalanti” which begins from the location “Chromio” and ends at the “Troodos Square”.
Central Square
Central Square
The beautiful central square of Kakopetria with the tall plane trees and coffee shops, where you can try the traditional homemade sweets of the area and you can sit round the fireplace during the winter . The square it’s just a few minutes away from the old quarter of the village which is a listed area with cobbled streets where old houses have been carefully restored or reconstructed.
Cycling Routes
Cycling Routes
Follow the Troodos cycling routes or even make your own. Set the pace you desire whether training or leisure and fill your lungs with fresh air while doing your bit to fight global warming and protect the environment. Take Me There
River Clarios
River Clarios
A green veil created with nature’s most beautiful colours covers the village of Kakopetria. Pieces of land covered with wild vegetation mingle with cultivated pieces of land creating a magical scenery.
This idyllic image of the village is completed by the two side-rivers of the River Clarios which are united in the heart of Kakopetria, freely giving their water to the village. Kakopetria constantly enjoys the sound of the streams which create a sweet melody which in turn provides peace and quiet.
Watermills
Watermills
For this famous watermill there are also some other documents. The mill was built by a deacon of Saint Nicholas monastery in 1754. The documents which were found agree that this mill belonged to the Archbishop and then it was rented to others. Some time later, the archbishop decided to sell it. Information that we have, claims that the Archbishop sold it for three hundred pounds and another one says that five other people bought it together, for two hundred and fifty pounds.
After the cesation of its operations, the “Milos tis Gonias” was restored, in 1980. The mill of Hadjistavros was demolished. The first one is nowadays a tourist sight and its present owner is Aristeidis Papa.
The people who visit the Mill can learn some basic things on its operation and the history of the mills in Cyprus. When you enter the premises of the mill you will see a rectangular wooden tub, which is narrower at the bottom. In this tub they used to put cereals, wheat and barley. On the millstone they used to place a special lever which grinded the cereals in small or coarse grains.
On the millstones there was an axle, sometimes wooden and sometimes iron made. The axle began its operation when the water entered in the water wheel. The water begun its course in the headrace, then it continued in a wooden channel and then after a vertical fall it entered in a special water hole, which is built on the side of the water wheel. After this course, the force of the water caused the operation of the millstones.
Through the description of the Mills, we can see that the inhabitants of Kakopetria exploited perfectly the water of the village. We can also discover the cultural and historical side of the village.
Nature Trails
Nature Trails
The Forestry Department has created a number of trails carefully designed to cover areas of rich natural vegetation and cultural interest. They have been landscaped on gentle gradients and are, as a rule, circular so that all age groups can easily use them.
In many cases, there are signposts in place, to indicate the starting point of the trail, as well as flora and geology features along the route. Although walking in Cyprus can be enjoyed throughout the year, the recommended seasons are during late Autumn (November) and spring, when the Cyprus rural and forest areas are at full bloom.
Take Me There
Platania Picnic and Camping Site
Platania Picnic and Camping Site
For this famous watermill there are also some other documents. The mill was built by a deacon of Saint Nicholas monastery in 1754. The documents which were found agree that this mill belonged to the Archbishop and then it was rented to others. Some time later, the archbishop decided to sell it. Information that we have, claims that the Archbishop sold it for three hundred pounds and another one says that five other people bought it together, for two hundred and fifty pounds.
After the cesation of its operations, the “Milos tis Gonias” was restored, in 1980. The mill of Hadjistavros was demolished. The first one is nowadays a tourist sight and its present owner is Aristeidis Papa.
The people who visit the Mill can learn some basic things on its operation and the history of the mills in Cyprus. When you enter the premises of the mill you will see a rectangular wooden tub, which is narrower at the bottom. In this tub they used to put cereals, wheat and barley. On the millstone they used to place a special lever which grinded the cereals in small or coarse grains.
On the millstones there was an axle, sometimes wooden and sometimes iron made. The axle began its operation when the water entered in the water wheel. The water begun its course in the headrace, then it continued in a wooden channel and then after a vertical fall it entered in a special water hole, which is built on the side of the water wheel. After this course, the force of the water caused the operation of the millstones.
Through the description of the Mills, we can see that the inhabitants of Kakopetria exploited perfectly the water of the village. We can also discover the cultural and historical side of the village.
Agios Nikolaos Water Company
Agios Nikolaos Water Company
Set near the village of Kakopetria, in the heart of Troodos Mountains, a mineral water plant has been designed and built to the highest European standards at the Saint Nicholas source.
The remarkable purity of SAINT NICHOLAS water is owed both to the location of the source far from residential or polluted areas and to the bottling procedure of the water in environmentally friendly P.E.T. bottles produced on site prior to filling.
In a reaserch study carried out by the National Center of Science Research “DEMOCRITOS” (Athens, Greece), the water from the Saint Nicholas source was found to be at least 370 years old…! Ageing long before any possible contamination caused by human activity related to environment pollution.
In April 2000, the European Union officially certified SAINT NICHOLAS a Natural Mineral Water.
Kakopetria Old Power Station
Kakopetria Old Power Station
The Kakopetria power station began its operation at the beginning of the 20th century specifically in 1926 due to the initiative of Christos Vasiliou, a resident of the village. The source of energy of the power station was water, giving it a special place in the history of electricity in Cyprus.
The creation of hydro-electricity in Kakopetria and the personal endeavours of Vasiliou are related to one another. Vasiliou managed to succeed in founding the power station, mainly due to his devotion to power the village, rather than to his knowledge of the matter. His knowledge was limited to the small power generating plant which he used at his job in the Amiantos mines. In 1926, having returned from the Amiantos mine, with his wife by his side, he made an attempt to put into motion the power station project something that at the time seemed nearly impossible. It was then when Christos and his wife Orthodoxia decided to sell all their property to achieve their goal which was to purchase a part of church land on the banks of the Klariou River, namely Karkoti or otherwise known as the Kappadoukas area. This was to be the place where the couple’s dream with come true. After hard work, they managed to initially construct a wooden tower which was later replaced by a concrete structure having first completed a series of necessary tests. The project was finally completed in mid September of 1927.
According to the son of the Vasiliou couple, the hydroelectric power station had the following structure: It was composed by a tower (50 meters) with an opening of around 2 meters. The tower was joined with a concrete channel. Water ran through this channel into the hole causing the runner to begin functioning. The runner then activated the machine which ultimately provided the electric power.
When the power station was finally in a position to offer its services to the community, some “electrical installations” started taking place in a few homes. The houses were connected to the power station via cables which passed through logs. Each house which requested electricity, had one lamp, and the cost to the house-owners was two shillings per month. Supply of electricity was now feasible, and on the evening of the 17th September 1927, the residents all gathered in the central square of Kakopetria to see and admire the new power station which was accomplished after the hard work and countless efforts of the Vasiliou couple. That night, as the runner began working and the village was illuminated, people of the village witnessed an important event for the history of the entire island. The power station of Kakopetria, which used water as the main source of electric power, was the first one of its kind on the island.
During the first years of the establishment of the power station, people were very dubious about Vasiliou’s achievement to the point that they even hindered its operation. It is notable that at the time on thirty houses had been connected to the grid. Even more notable was the fact that often the main source of the station’s energy, the water, was diverted with the excuse that it was needed for agricultural usage.
At the beginnings of the operation of the power station, it worked for restricted hours always according to the flow of water. For example, during winter, the power station produced electric power till one o’clock in the afternoon and during summer for fewer hours, due to the lack of water supply. It was not possible to operate, as we mentioned above, when the farmers diverted the flow of the water to their plantations.
Despite all these obstacles, Christos Vasiliou managed to impart his passion and knowledge to his son Andreas. In 1947, Andreas had become an expert in electrical installations, according to the pertinent regulations of the department of Public Works. Thanks to the new know-how and the increased needs of the village, the installations have expanded and diesel engines were bought and installed. The operation of the cinema “Orpheas” was also due to the efforts of Christos Vasiliou.
The use of diesel engines for the production of electric power gradually expanded in the village and for a short period of time both the diesel engines and the power station operated together to cover the needs of the community. The diesel engines functioned during summer, when the quantity of water was reduced, and the power station functioned during winter.
The provision of electric power became an obligation of the government some years later and Christos Vasiliou, known as the “Electrician of Kakopetria”, was no longer responsible for powering the village but it was now the state’s responsibility.
Nowadays, the Electricity Authority of Cyprus is cooperating with the Community Council of Kakopetria and is trying to restore the hydroelectric power station of the area. They are replacing various mechanical parts of the station to make it functional with the intent of converting it into a museum.
The best Restaurants in the Village of Kakopetria
Platinum Cafe Restaurant
Enjoy your coffee or anything you choose from our rich menu, play backgammon with your friends, cards with your company, pool with your buddy or several electronic games. You can also surf to the internet using our computers or your own laptops.
Make sure you try our crepes, waffles, cypriot traditional sweets,ice creams and many other delicious sweets. If you are hungry you can try something delicious from a variety of plates we offer.
Are you a football fan? Here is your place to watch several football games and many other sports events on our TV screens.
Enjoy all these with the best and fastest service. Our scope is nothing else but to fulfil your expectations. Make Platinum Café-Restaurant an unforgettable experience in beautiful Kakopetria.
| TIME 10:00 a.m – 21:00 a.m |
FOR RESERVATIONS Tel: +357 22813999 |
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Mylos Restaurant
| TIME 10:00 a.m – 21:00 a.m |
FOR RESERVATIONS Tel: +357 22922536 |
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Chrysanthis Cafe Restaurant
| TIME 12:00 a.m – 22:00 a.m |
FOR RESERVATIONS Tel: +357 22922202 |
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Restaurant / Swimming Pool
| TIME 10:00 a.m – 18:00 a.m |
FOR RESERVATIONS Tel: +357 22922100 |
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