Agia Varvara Paphou
Agia Varvara Paphou is a village in Cyprus, situated 12 kilometers southeast of the homonymous city of Paphos, and 58 kilometers west of Limassol and Nicosia.
A settlement built at an altitude of 90 meters in the coastal plain of Pafos and on a hill on the right bank of the Ezousa river, Agia Varvara Paphou with the approximately 150 inhabitants, borders with Agia Marinouda and Anarita and is a region with grain crops, peanut trees and a few vineyards.
The formerly mixed settlement inhabited by Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, who where mostly engaged in livestock farming, consists of houses built with stones (“krokales (pebbles)” for the locals) from the riverbed and carved limestone from the neighboring limestone hills. However, there are also the more modern and luxurious residences, which are sold or rented mainly to foreigners who want to live in the tranquil and fresh air of nature, being at the same time very close to the capital of the province.
Until the 19th century, the crops, fields and houses of the village were under the control of the Turks, making the Greek inhabitants of Episkopi Paphou come and work for them as farmers or livestock farmers. As a matter of fact, according to the locals, when the Greeks married and started their own family, the rich Turks helped them out by giving the newlyweds 5-6 sheep. The good relationship between Turks and Greeks is confirmed by other sources claiming that the first were descendants of Islamized Greeks, hence allowing the Christians to build in 1872 and during the Ottoman domination, the first Christian church dedicated to Agia Varvara (Saint Barbara). From this church came the name of the village.
During the inter-communal riots of 1963-64, the Greek Cypriot residents left the village as the Turkish Cypriots had been supplied with weapons, and in 1975 after the Turkish invasion of Attila and the exchange of populations, the last Turkish Cypriots left the region, moving to the occupied northern areas of the island, and Greek Cypriot refugees from the occupied areas arrived in their place.
The rich and long history of Agia Varvara Paphou, although not confirmed, is evident from the valuable grave goods and vases that have been found scattered in the settlement. That is why it is a common sight to chance upon looters digging to the north and east of the community. According to experts, the community was a city of the Cypro-archaic period (750-457 BC) and it was surrounded by several smaller settlements.
The two churches in the village are dedicated to Agia Varvara. The first, as mentioned above, was built with the permission of the Turks during the Ottoman domination in 1872. Before 1974, the fire that broke out, burned the roof of the church that was made out of reeds. As a matter of fact, according to the locals, when a Turkish Cypriot neighbor heard the burning of the reeds and saw the church on fire, he was in a dilemma whether to notify for help or not, fearing that the Turkish Cypriots would be accused of setting the fire. Eventually he decided to alert his fellow villagers and attempt to put it out, but during the time that took them to come to the church, the fire died out on its own. The second church is clearly a more modern building with larger dimensions to serve the religious needs of the locals.
Other places of interest include an old watermill, an old stone drinking fountain, the beautiful community park, and the mosque without a minaret from the time of the Turkish Cypriot occupation of Agia Varvara Paphou, which is preserved in good condition.
Alongside the river Ezousa, an open water canal has been built and is considered part of the large irrigation plan of Paphos that gave life and crops to the wider region. This channel, when not flooded in winter, is an impressive sight, offering a panoramic view from the bridge that passers-by cross with their car.