Akrounta

Akrounta is a village of the Limassol district in Cyprus and is located 16 km northeast of Limassol, 72 km west of Larnaca, 78 km southwest of Nicosia and 80 km east of Paphos.

Built at an altitude of 110 meters on a slope near the dam of Yermasoyia, the village Akrounta of the about 400 inhabitants is a quick getaway from the nearby Limassol. After the construction of the Yermasoyia dam in 1974, the irrigation of the land favored the cultivation of citrus trees, which is the most important economic driver for the community, while also contributing to the increase of population.

The name of the village comes from the word Akron (edge) suggesting a settlement located on the edge of a valley.

Historically Akrounta existed since the Middle Ages, as written sources indicate that in the 13th century (between 1236-1247 AD) Venetian owners seized properties in the area. During the Turkish occupation, the residents of the community were crypto-christians (“linovamvaki”), who converted to Islam in order to avoid the persecutions of that times.

In the center of the village the visitor will find the church of Agios Georgios (St. George), built in 1896. According to tradition, the Saint saved the village Akrounta from the plague that had hit in the past other regions and in the community there is even a stone slab with a foot print of the Saint’s horse.

Another church is that of Agios Loukas (St. Luke), in the northwestern part of the basin of the Yermasoyia dam with a lovely view. The stone church with the bright white arched roof was built in the 15th century and was recently restored by the Department of Antiquities and the Association of the Expatriates of the community.

In the area of ​​Akrountas there are also the remains of four watermills, which are located along the ditches that carried water to the valley.