Kouka is a village of the semi mountain area of Limassol. It is found built on the mountain peak, between the rivers of Kryos and Kourris, and a kilometre south of the village of Pera Pedi. It is a very small village, that between the stone built and fully renovated mansions, holds many “treasures”.
In the centre you will find the Church of Timios Stavros (the Holy Cross), along with a few other constructions that composed the “Monastery of Timios Stavros of Kouka”. The Church of the Monastery is probably the oldest that is found in Cyprus and it has been probably built by Agia Eleni herself.
The community is composed of 4 Greek Cypriot families and 17 families of foreigners. Russians, Italians, English, French and Germans are the owners of the huge villas that are found among the thousand-year-old oaks of Kouka.
The realty of the village belonged and still belongs to two religious jurisdictions. North of the road cutting the village, all the areas of land belong to the Diocese of Kition and south of it, to the Diocese of Limassol. These two religious foundations are found at a certain “competition” as far as it concerns the prices of the plots of land. Thus, foreigners who prefer a quiet, green and with a mild climate place to build their home, they buy plots from the Dioceses and they construct their villas in them, that worth millions. We met some of these people and they all love and respect the island and its history.
There is no authority in the community, since the offices of the community council are always closed, and as the former president of the community Mr Melis, who was president for twenty five years, the only employee that worked in the offices who was the secretary, has been fired.
However, everything in the village goes on smoothly. The streets are clean, the orchards composed of mainly walnut trees, are watered and trimmed. The grass in the surrounding area of the Church is neat and dozens of rose bushes bloom and smell in the sun.
Northeast of Kouka, in a ravine next to the street, there is a natural source of potable water. In 1908, the settlers embellished the village and created a faucet, and with the water it gave, they watered their fields. In 1929, after a strong earthquake, the source stopped giving water, but in a short period of time the water found a way to gush a few dozens of metres more east. 11 fields are irrigated with this water until today.
According to what Mr Melis told us (he became 90 years old recently and we wish him to reach a thousand), the village got its name from some noble person of the social elite class of the island, who, as he was going for hunting with his escorts, was impressed by the place’s beauty and said “I will build a settlement and will give it its name”. The first village was built by Koukas closer to the Kourris river, east of the today’s position.
The visitor of Kouka, apart from the ancient Monastery, will walk among the “old” centre of the small village that has been renovated according to the initial architecture of its houses. Each one of them is special and very beautiful. The visitor will be able to sit under the shade of the huge oaks. He will see many old faucets, samples of the rich aquifers of the area. The view of the Kourris valley that lets the eye of the visitor to “travel” until the outskirts of Limassol, is unique.
Kouka, with its 35 settlers, is another ornament of the Cypriot Landscapes.
