Page 3 - Fikardou_ebook

Village Layout House of Katsinioros House of Achillea Dimitri Petrou kai Pavlou Church Yiannakos Tavern Old School The old Wine Press

The settlement

On the southeastern slopes of Troodos Mountain range at an average altitude of 880 meters, approxi-

mately 35 kilometers southwest from the capital city of Nicosia, lies the village of Fikardou – a small, ru-
ral settlement that existed at least since the byzantine era. Throughout history Cyprus has had many occu-

pying forces and foreign invaders. The coastal cities were often targeted for pillaging or were under terrible
oppression. Indigenous residents from the cities fled to the inner, mountainous part of the island seeking ref-
uge and a new beginning. Fikardou, as well as the surrounding villages, were possibly founded by these people.

The long periods of sunshine combined with substantial annual rainfall bene-
fited the village’s agricultural development. The arable lands of the village are cul-

tivated with vines, almonds, olives, cereals, and pulses. The larger area of the vil-
lage, however, is uncultivated and occupied by a variety of wild vegetation. The
inhabitants of the village have always been engaged in animal husbandry and land

cultivation. In earlier years, many villagers were employees of the nearby Ma-
chaira Monastery, supplying the Monastery’s needs of food and other resources.

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