Kakopetria Village, Solea Valley- Troodos


Located in the Troodos mountain range, in the Solea Valley of the Lefkosia (Nicosia) region, Kakopetria is a pretty village in Cyprus located on the north facing foothills of the Troodos Mountain range.

It is a popular summer resort, due to its charming character and breathtaking scenery of pine forests and rivers that stretch across the Karkotis Valley. As such, it is ideal for agrotourism and beautiful nature walks.

 

Not to be Missed

The village also has several other interesting sights, including the Linos Musuem and Olive Mill museum. The watermill ‘Mylos tis Gonias’ used to grind various grains from 1754. It closed down after the Second World War, and was restored in towards the end of the 1980s.

The old quarter of the village – with its narrow, stone-paved alleys, has been declared a protected heritage site, and its two-storey houses with their wooden balconies have been restored.

 

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The Church of the Saviour’s Configuration, which can be found in the centre of the old village, which is a real treat. Whilst the church of Agios Nikolaos tin Stegis (St. Nicholas of the Roof) is located 5km outside of the village. It is considered one of the most interesting Byzantine churches on the island, thanks to its painted murals that date from the 11th to the 17th century.

 

History

According to historians, the settlement of Kakopetria has existed since the Lusignan Period. The village’s region was inhabited around the 6th-7th centuries and the various excavations that have been conducted in 1938 around the old village of Kakopetria show this. A large number of terracotta movable findings were found, many of which depict the goddess Athena, including small, limestone, statues and parts of statues, and bronze & iron spearheads for arrows.

 

Fun Fact

Near Kakopetria, there is church Agios Nikolaos tis Stegis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other beautifully painted churches in the region. The church is the only surviving Middle Byzantine monastery in Cyprus during the 11th century.

 

Location

Kakopetria village can be reached from the direction of Nicosia by following the route E901, then the B10, and finally the B9.


 

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