Page 9 - Fikardou_ebook

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

Capacity as “Ancient Monument”

Fikardou is one of the few examples of a traditional settlement
in Cyprus that has remained unspoiled over time and has man-
aged to keep its architectural features and traditional way of

life. However, the trend of urbanization and abandonment of
the countryside resulted in a dramatic decrease in the popu-

lation and brought economic depression to the village leav-
ing many properties deserted and at risk of becoming derelict.
In order to protect both the physiognomy and the natural environment of this important settlement facing the danger of to-

tal abandonment and destruction, in 1978 the Department of Antiquities declared the whole village by law an “Ancient Mon-
ument” and a “Controlled Area”. The same year the Department of Planning and Housing implemented planning zones for

the control of building in the vicinity. This legislative protection created the prerequisites for the implementation of practi-
cal measures towards the restoration of the village houses. The restoration work is carried out either by the Department or
by the owners themselves, to whom appropriate instructions are given. All work is supervised by specialists from the Depart-

ment and in both cases a Government contribution covers 50% of the total expenditure. A basic principle for the restora-
tion of houses which are Ancient Monuments is the preservation of their original form with only a few interior modifications
deemed necessary to provide contemporary facilities according to the owners’ needs. Restoration work at Fikardou continues

at an ever-increasing pace owing to the favourable response by owners for the restoration and rehabilitation of their houses.
Within this framework several houses and auxiliary buildings have been restored. Priority was given to buildings which are in daily use by
the villagers. The restoration and preservation of houses at Fikardou is not being carried out with intent to convert the village into a museum .

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