Aglantzia
Aglantzia is situated about 6.5 kilometers south of the center of Nicosia in the homonymous province of Cyprus, and next to the Strovolou community.
Being an independent municipality since 1986 after a referendum, the suburb of Aglantzia has been semi-occupied after the Turkish invasion of 1974. Out of the 31 square kilometers of its total area, only 14 square kilometers are free and exploitable, of which 9 concern forest parks. In addition, this municipality has been twinned with the municipality of Zografou of Attica, the municipality of Kalamata, the 3rd district of the municipality of Rome and the municipality of Azov of Russia, and other protocols of cooperation have been signed with other municipalities and groups abroad. Today, the settlements counts approximately 22,000 permanent residents, of whom 7,000 are refugees, most of whom work either in the capital, or in the district of the craft industries of the municipality, which hosts over 100 workshops.
With most of the settlement built along the old Nicosia-Larnaca road, and on two hills (with the hill on the left being under Turkish occupation), in order to be protected from the raids in the past, Aglantzia is the highest and outermost suburb of the capital of the island, with an excellent climate throughout the year.
Historically, the community existed since the fourth millennium BC, as in the so-called “Arona” hill or the mount of the lion (liontarovouno), a large number of tombs of the Bronze Age have been excavated. Scholars believe that around the hills of Aglantzia there was an ancient settlement, which was later succeeded by the famous city of Lidra (and today a road) of Nicosia. In addition, near the “dead zone” and between the two sides of the island, a historical cave was found, in which some nymphs were worshiped, as evidenced by the various finds brought to light by the archaeological excavation – the most important of them, “Kantharo”, is today’s emblem of the municipality. Additionally, during the Middle Ages, a settlement flourished in this area, called Lefkomiatis, while at the end of the Frankish occupation it became part of the estate of a noble family, which gave the community its modern name. Characteristically, at the liontarovouno were found the ruins of the Medieval castle La Cava, built in 1385, which belonged to King Jacob I. After the conquest of Cyprus by the Turks, the decline of Aglantzia began and the settlement is turned into an independent rural community (end of the 18th century), after which the community actively participated in the struggle of EOKA with many locals being sacrificed on the altar of freedom, such as the famous hero, Kyriakos Karaolis. The scattered around the settlement monuments dedicated to the fallen and the missing from the Turkish invasion of 1974 remind us of the difficult times of the community.
Having preserved its traditional elements, since most of the houses of the old settlement among its narrow streets have been restored, nowadays Aglantzia is an attraction for both locals and tourists, where they all come together in one of the traditional taverns of the area, enjoying authentic Cypriot mezedes. From the modern buildings, to the refugee camps, and from there to the small square of the community, which has become the meeting point of those who love the sounds of jazz music, with the Aglanjazz Festival held here every year, the visitor is fascinated by the harmonious coming together of the old and the new.
But it is not just the above. The visitor walking around Aglantzia is enchanted by the rich natural surroundings of the area. There are many parks in the community, like Agios Georgios Park, Aglantzia Municipal Park and 45 more smaller parks and green areas, most notably the Athalassa National Forest, which houses the homonymous Center for Environmental Information. In addition, the district has many churches and chapels, most notably the church of Agios Georgios (in the center of the community), which was erected by the Dragoman of Cyprus Hatzigeorgakis Kornesios around the late 18th century, Apostle Andreas, Agios Nektarios, Agios Georgios in the area of Athalassa, as well as the churches of Agia Varvara, Agia Mavra and Panagia.
In Aglantzia there are several hotels and shops, and there are several primary and secondary schools, two private and one state-owned TV stations, the Nicosia Police Headquarters, as well as the Institute of Agricultural Research and the Open University of Cyprus.
Aglantzia has also distinguished itself in the cultural circles of the island, due to the Cultural Center “Skali”, which organizes concerts, exhibitions, conferences, performances and lectures in addition to a multi-award winning architectural project. Also in the area, for over a decade, the famous European Beer Festival is revived, the Septemberfest – Nicosia Beer Fun Festival. Finally, the community is an example to other municipalities in Cyprus, as it has built bicycle routes and bicycle parking facilities and offers over 150 free parking spaces for those who want to ride their bicycles in the area.