Arakapas

Arakapas is a village in the district of Limassol in Cyprus and is located 33 km northeast of Limassol, 63 km southwest of Nicosia, 63 km west of Larnaca and 110 km east of Paphos.

Built in the region of Pitsilia and near Kakomallis forest, with pine, terebinths and oaks, the village of Arakapas of the approximately 300 residents, with many stone houses and the small dam, in a land where mostly grow citrus fruits, and mainly tangerines, which have made the village known throughout Cyprus. Also here grow a few olive and carob trees, as well as vegetables in recent years. The area has also rich fauna, as it is a habitat of migratory and endemic animals such as hares, partridges, reptiles, foxes, thrushes, blackbirds and more.

The name of the village comes from the first settler, Arokopo or Arokopa, while in the Middle Ages Arakapas was one of the villages of the Great Commandaria, which as a region constituted the largest fief of the Knights of St. John.

One of the main attractions of the community is the small chapel of the Timios Stavros (Holy Cross) and the two churches of the Panagia Iamatiki (Virgin Mary).

The single aisled with a pointed arch basilica with the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary (probably dating back to the 16th century) painted on animal skin, was stone built in 1882 and is located at the eastern entrance of the community.

The other smaller temple of Panagia which is built across the other one and in the cemetery, was constructed with irregularly shaped volcanic stones, is three-aisled with a wooden roof and is the only part that was rescued from the previous convent. Even though the main church is likely to be of the 15th century, the modern walls and apse were built in 1727. In fact, according to tradition, the church was built by the first settler of the village, where he found the holy water of the Virgin, which is believed to cure bleeding. You can access the holy water on foot, at the bed of the tributary Amathos.

Virgin Mary Iamatiki is celebrated on 8 September with a big feast and with large crowds coming to venerate the image.

In the center of the village, opposite the church, there is a monument dedicated to the missing since the Turkish invasion Christakis Zeniou, with the bust and a marble tomb where his remains were placed after his DNA was identified.

On the large square of Arakapas visitors can enjoy a coffee in the local traditional cafe, while there you will also find the park, a grocery store and a bank. For local delicacies, you can look for the two restaurants of the village.