Fikardou
Fikardou is located about 38 kilometers southwest of Nicosia in the homonymous province of Cyprus, and it is situated 58 kilometers from Limassol, 70 kilometers southeastern to Larnaca, and almost 150 kilometers from the city of Paphos.
Built in the geographical area of Pitsilia, and at an altitude ranging from 400 to 1100 meters, on the southeastern slope of the Troodos Mountains, Fikardou village has a view all the way up to the mountains of Tavros and Antitavros of Asia Minor.
The entire settlement has been declared an Ancient Monument of the Second Table by UNESCO, as well as a large part of Fikardou is owned by the Department of Antiquities, declaring it a “Controlled Area” since 1978. Along with the title, the service has made enormous restorations and maintenance efforts in the old houses of the village since they were excellent examples of mountainous Cypriot architecture of the past two centuries, in perfect harmony with the environment, and built with rough local stones and bricks. Today, the former ruined village is a lively museum of traditional architecture and folk art.
The entire settlement has been declared an Ancient Monument of the Second Table by UNESCO, as well as a large part of Fikardou is owned by the Department of Antiquities, declaring it a “Controlled Area” since 1978. Along with the title, the service has made enormous restorations and maintenance efforts in the old houses of the village since they were excellent examples of mountainous Cypriot architecture of the past two centuries, in perfect harmony with the environment, and built with rough local stones and bricks. Today, the former ruined village is a lively museum of traditional architecture and folk art.
However, although the founding of Fikardou dates back to the Middle Ages, it does not appear to have been a feudal estate belonging to anyone during the Frankish rule, as no monuments have been preserved since that time. The earliest written reference to the village dates back to 1825 (Ottoman domination).
Fikardou is a typical example of a Cypriot cultural landscape, where human intervention complemented the architectural features of the old village. Forty houses of the 1920s with remarkable woodcuts and elements of folk architecture have been preserved to this day. Two of them, awarded in 1987-1988 by Europa Nostra, are the house of Katsiniorou and the house of Achilleas Dimitris, which are run by the Department of Antiquities, turning them into museums accessible to the public. Katsinioros’ stately house is distinct from the other houses of the community, since it is well-known and houses the Fikardou Local Ethnological Museum with exhibits of the 16th century, while the house of Achilleas Dimitris (just behind Katsiniorou House – north of the community), has been turned into a textile workshop and a hostel for scholars. Structurally, almost all the tiled houses of the community are two-storeys high, consisting of the main residence, various warehouses and workshops, as well as the ground floor, which was used as a stable or for the drying of the grapes. Many of the houses of this picturesque settlement are abandoned, while others are visited seasonally by their owners. Today, Fikardou has about 13 permanent residents, most of whom have no affinity with the place, but were fascinated by its rare beauty. So, just outside the traditional core, and in permissive locations, they built their homes.
The stone-built terraces and the threshing floors on the slopes of the restored Fikardo houses, testify to the close relationship of the ancestors with the earth, since agriculture was the only way of life for them because of the peculiarity of the environment. The plowing with the use of the wooden plow drawn by the animals, the threshing with the "dukani" in the threshing floors of the village, the cultivation of the vineyards and the production of the derivatives of wine, the weaving by the women in the traditional looms, were all necessary activities for the residents of Fikardou.
Many of the locals, however, seemed to work as employees in the neighboring Mahaira Monastery in the Larnaca district, while the exploitation of the wild olive trees of the area for the needs of the monastery was one of the most profitable activities of the 13th and 14th centuries.
In order to experience Fikardou, one has to walk its narrow, picturesque streets with companions, some old big jars and the scattered cultural attractions. For example, in the center of the settlement one will find the church of Peter and Paul (18th century), which operates once a year (29 June).
Thousands of locals and foreigners visit Fikardou each year in order to admire the houses that are still standing in spite of the time passing, to walk along one of the Nature Trails that cross the verdant hillsides of the settlement, or to rest in the equally picturesque tavern of the area, which is the only one in the village, while it operates as a cafeteria in the morning and a restaurant from midday until late at night. In recent years there are also plenty of people who take a walk in the village in order to remember the old times, participating in the famous Fikardou Festival of Tradition.
Finally, Fikardou is located between the settlements of Gouri and Lazania. More easily, one can visit it from the monastery of Machaira, while from the city of Nicosia (and through the village of Klirou), the route is quite uphill and can be relatively difficult during the winter season, as sometimes the mountain side of the island is covered in snow.