Kyperounta, Cyprus

The picturesque village of Kyperounta lies at the foot of the Madari mountains surrounded by a green landscape. Kyperounta is the largest mountain village of Cyprus, as it numbers around 1500 inhabitants. It is situated 45km away from Limassol and 78km away from Nicosia. The physical appearance of the village takes various shades as the seasons change. The village lies at an altitude of 1250 to 1400 metres. In fact, it is the third highest village on the island.

Watch the video: "Kyperounta, Your next Destination" by Kyperounta Municipality Council (3 min, 42 sec)

According to tradition, the most dominant explanation for the name of the village is the plant, which is a weed that is abundant in the region and bears the scientific name “cyperus rotondus”. The weather conditions in Kyperounta are excellent throughout the whole year. The uniqueness of its climate is what urged the colonial government in the 1930s ,to established a sanatorium,which now is the Kyperounta hospital. The choice of the place was extremely beneficial to patients suffering from respiratory or chest-related diseases. Kyperounta is crossed by the main tributaries of Kourris river that divide it in narrow deep valleys creating a magnificent green scenery where the pine forest alternates with vineyards and fruit trees.

The natural setting that surrounds the village, the range of cultural monuments and traditions and the geographical place in the centre of the Troodos mountains resorts route, only 10 minutes away from the Troodos square, are among the reasons why Kyperounta is a unique tourist destination throughout the year. The traditional local architecture is still preserved in Kyperounta. The religious monuments of the village are exceptionally picturesque.

  1. Church of Saint Marina dedicated to the patron saint of the village. It is an 18th century basilica with a wooden roof and tree-lined avenue.
  2. Church of Saint Arsenios of Cappadocia. It is reconstruction of an old Christian five aisle basilica with a wooden roof.
  3. Church of Virgin Mary. It is an 18th century two aisled basilica with wooden roof. Some of its outstanding icons are the Transfiguration of Jesus and virgin Mary the leader. During the Venetian domination the church was both Orthodox and Catholic.
  4. Church of Holy Cross. It is the most ancient chapel in the village, a basilica with one aisle and a wooden roof. Its 16th century wall murals are remarkable and it actually functions as museum of the village’s ecclesiastical items and treasures since 1995. There is also a botanical garden in its courtyard.
  5. Museum of traditional Rural life and natural history. The museum is located before the village square and it consists of folklore exhibits portraying the traditional rural life of the area as well as taxidermy animals ,birds, and reptiles of the Cypriot fauna.
  6. Struggle Museum. The museum is retuned in the restored house of a hero who took part in EOKA struggle against the British colonialism in 1955-59. His hideout is still maintained at the house, along with a traditional stable.

Local flavours

It is a fact that the Kyperounta region is responsible for approximately 1/3 of the apple and pear production in the whole island. Exactly because of this massive apple production the residents established the annual Apple Festival which is held on the second weekend of October. Additionally, the locals cultivate grapes in the vineyards of the area and some of them even produce their own wine. The Kyperounta winery is distinctively famous for its award-winning wines. Various charcuterie workshops operate in Kyperounta , where visitors can buy the renowned “hiromeri” and other smoked meats of the area.

Additional video of Kyperounta (on YouTube)

Links

Links to EU-funded projects

Postal address: Kyperounta Community Board,1st April 18, CY 4876, Limassol, Cyprus

Social Media links

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/mytroodos/

Hashtags: #Kyperounta, #Troodos Cultural tourism hashtags: #Unite4Heritage, #EuropeForCulture, #CulturalHeritage, #DigitalHeritage, #SharedCultures, #DigitalArchaeology, #heritage, #WorldHeritage

Contact Email addresses for general enquiries  (My Troodos):

foreastroodous@cytanet.com.cy
info@mytroodos.com

Postal address: Olympou 4B, Limassol, Cyprus

Contact person: Costantinos Costantinou

General information

Number of inhabitants: 1500

Area: Rural Number of tourism enterprises: 1 hotel, 3 agrotourism accommodation, 4 restaurants, 1 sanckbar, 3 wineries, 2 handicrafts cold cuts, 1 fruit processing factory, 1 theme park, 2 bars, 3 coffee shops

Awards: EU Commission: EDEN AWARDS Troodos area best Rural Destination 2007

Photo: Panoramic view of Kyperounta, Municipality of Kyperounta

Kyperounta view (right)

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