Akourdalia village, Paphos, Cyprus


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Lysos village

LOCATION: If you travel for about ten minutes from Polis on the E733, you will arrive at the hilly village of Lysos. Alternatively, if you're coming from Paphos along the B7, Lysos is about 36 kilomteres away. At an altitude of 647 metres, the views down to Chrysochous Bay and the disused Limni mines are unobstructed. The northwest of the village connects to the village of Pelathousa and if you were to travel northeast, you would come to Stavros tis Psokas, the Kykkos Monastery and eventually the mountain resorts of Troodos.

POPULATION: The population of Lysos in 2006 numbered about 200.

ORIGIN OF NAME: There are two versions of how Lysos came to be named. One theory is that it was the name of an ancient Greek settlement in Asia Minor and when the settlers moved to Cyprus, so did the name. Lisos or Lissos was also the name of an ancient city in Crete. The other theory is that the name comes from the verb ‘lyo’ (liono – to melt). In bygone days, metals were melted in Lysos because of its abundant water supply and also because of the copper-bearing deposits in the area of Troodos' west side.

AMENITIES: Facilities in the village include two coffee houses, a small shop and post boxes. Nearby is the 15-bedroom Paradisos Hills Hotel serving an excellent Sunday lunch for villagers and tourists alike. The hotel’s elegant grounds and magnificent surroundings are ideal for special occasions like christenings, engagements and weddings.

In Lysos’ main square is the 15th century church of Panagia Chryseleousa, which is currently undergoing renovation work to the bell tower. The church combines Byzantine and Gothic elements with a dome and arches. Over the years various alterations to the building have taken place. At the beginning of the 17th century the gothic-style window of the Sanctuary's apse was walled up and a niche created in its place. At the beginning of the 20th century the church was expanded to better serve the needs of the community. At this time the village population numbered about 650, but then the village began to suffer from migration.

The mukhtar of Lysos is Christos Michael and he has been in office for nearly five years. He can be found from 8.30am-1pm in the Cultural Centre; a 100-year-old building which originally belonged to a wealthy villager and was then bought by the village and renovated. Inside the centre the walls are lined with photographs of EOKA fighters. You can visit some of the EOKA hideouts on the outskirts of the village. One of them has been renovated and is 500 metres from the church of Agios Georgios. This 13th century country church is located to the east of the village, inside the forest between Lysos and the village of Kinousa, and is under the protection of the Antiquities Department.

Christos, together with his brother, run the local bus service, taking children to school in Polis and the villagers into Paphos. Christos and his family have lived in Lysos for at least 200 years. Future projects for the village: several nature trails being planned in two or three years’ time; the improvement of the village’s walls lining the roads to take place after the placement of new water pipes and drainage; renovation of the old school into an environmental centre focusing on ecological studies and with hostel facilities for students; the construction of a community medical centre; the construction of new offices for the community council with the old offices being converted into a museum; the creation of a community park on the site of the old hospital with a playground for children, landscaped gardens and disabled access.

Lysos is a perfect village to relax in and enjoy the tranquil pace of life in beautiful surroundings whilst having the advantage of being only a short drive to Polis.