Many villages of Cyprus owe their existence, their creation and their name to the ancient arcadians of Peloponnese. In the 11th century B.C. in ancient greece, a great number of immigrants was noted going toward Asia and the island of the Aegean.
Some groups of immigrants ended up in Cyprus, building villages and towns. Along with their knowledge, they brought their gods with them.
One of the villages founded by the arcadians is Koilani in Limassol. They called it as such because they came from the area of Peloponnese called Killini. These people chose an area next to the highest peak of the mountain to build their settlement and on the peak itself they built a Temple and dedicated it to Euphemius Zeus and named the mountain Afamis. In order to satisfy goddess Hera as well, they named a high cliff “the Cliff of Hera”.
Despite the fact that the settlement was found on a steep slope of the mountain Afamis, it had greatly developed. Its people with the old means they disposed of, to transform it into a sort of ramp. Thousands of hectares of a barren mountain were transformed into huge vineyards that gave sweet fruit.
As the centuries went by, the settlement grew bigger and by the years of the ottoman empire, its population exceeded a thousand families. The turkish occupiers soon found out about Koilani and many of them settled in the village. For their religious needs, they conquered the Church of Agia Sofia that was found in the centre of the village and transformed it into a Mosque.
On the east side of the village, you can see the river “Kryos”. It is a river that never stopped giving water. On its shores water mills were built, and this is where residents not only from Koilani, but also other villages of the area came to mill their crops.
When Christianity dominated in Cyprus, all the Temples dedicated to the gods of the dodecatheon were demolished and churches were built in their place, that worshipers dedicated to the Saints of their new belief. Likewise in Koilani, the Temple of Zeus was transformed into a chapel where the Prophet Elias is worshipped.
Up until a few years ago, after the second world war, Koilani was the “capital” of the wine producing villages of Limassol. It was a head village and its roads were full of life. After 1950, residents began to abandon the village to go elsewhere, hoping to have a better and more comfortable life. The biggest destruction came a lot later when the government of the country with its decision gave grants for grubbing up vines.
If you visit the area, you shall see thousands of hectares on mountain slopes being naked. The ramps still exist in the form of witnesses of the destruction of the environment brought up by the decision of the government.
What does Koilani have to offer to a visitor? Whoever decides to sacrifice some of his time to visit the village, he should be prepared to stay the night if he wants to see and experience everything it has to offer.
Before you even get to the village, at 800 metres you will see the historical, ancient chapel of Agia Mavra with its miracle performing holy water.
The chapel is covered by a huge platanus tree that is 1200 years old. Exactly next to it, the Kryos river will impress you with its rushing waters, while a spring with its waters on its west shore, forms a small waterfall in the riverbed itself. Do not enter the village from the first exit you will find on your right. Continue going straight and in 200 metres you will find another one that will guide you directly to a big, comfortable parking area.
From there on, walk along the narrow streets of the village. Observe the architecture of the houses that is conserved from the ancient years until today. The houses are built the one next to the other, with high walls and entrances that take you to a yard. All of the houses are built based on the same style.
In the narrow streets you will see dozens of taps from where in the olden days the residents provided themselves with the necessary water for their households. Their number is the proof of prosperity that existed in the community back then.
On the square of the village, there are traditional coffee shops where you will find the settlers playing mainly backgammon. Talk with them. Hospitality is in their blood and they will welcome you and treat you with something.
In the narrow streets, traditional workshops where cypriot sweets and wines are produced will be found. Enter them to see and learn how soutzioukos, kiofteri, palouzes, raisins, daktila and many other sweets are made.
There are five wineries in total, and a series of small condensers where you will learn and taste pure Zivania, the Cypriot drink that performs “miracles”.
Walk until the churches of the village and up until the muslim Mosque. You will notice that some houses have a light blue colour. The colour is due to the “loulaki” flower which housewives added into the lime that they used to whitewash their houses. This habit was left aside, but there are still neighbourhoods that keep this colour.
Pay a visit to the two Museums that exist as well, so that you can learn about the village’s history, such the agricultural as the religious ones. In Koilani there are two churches and many small chapels.
When you climb on the highest point of the village, you will be able to see the infinity of the valley of the Kryos village. The valley, seems to be bottomless from up above, and the vines give the slopes a beautiful green colour. Koilani has many reasons to be proud. Two of them concern the visitor. It is the hospitality and the whole-hearted people. Not to mention the prices of the local products that are lower than you will ever find on the rest of the island. Good food and unlimited Zivania is a copyright for Koilani. Visit it.
