Geroskipou
Geroskipou is a town of Cyprus that is situated 4 kilometers southeast of Paphos in the homonymous province, and is about 65 kilometers away from Limassol and 150 kilometers from Nicosia.
Covering a total area of 10 km, today in Geroskipou there are almost 8,000 permanent residents. Linguistically the name of this town comes from the composition of the words “sacred” (ieros in Greek) and “garden” (which in Greek is kipos) and is associated with the goddess of beauty and flowers, Aphrodite, who is said to have had her fragrant, sacred gardens in the area (location Gerokipia). There took place the prehistoric Aphrodisia, a ceremony in honor of the renaissance of nature. The pilgrims set out one day before the beginning of the feast from the sacred gardens of Gerokipia and walked with the accompaniment of music to the ancient capital of Paphos, Palaipaphos (which was at the location of the present day village of Kouklia), where there was the famous temple of Aphrodite and the center of worship of the goddess. In place of this mystical ceremony today take place the modern Ierokipia, which are held every May and last for 10 days.
Historically, several findings prove that the area has been inhabited since antiquity (mid-2nd millennium / late Bronze Age). Indicatively, in the wider area of Geroskipou, findings that have been excavated include imitations of Mycenaean vases, several carved graves, as well as a sanctuary dedicated to Apollo Ylatis. At the end of the 18th century, a British sub-consulate was established in the region, which seems to have played an important role in its development, since it became particularly popular with foreign travellers and various personalities in Cyprus.
The rich beauty and history of Geroskipou continue to be an incentive for a visit to the area. But it is not just the above. The area, preserving its traditional character, has now been transformed into a modern small town offering all sorts of infrastructure (schools, stadium, swimming pool, post office, library, banks), and full amenities for those who visit it. The heart of the community beats in its newly built paved square. There you can admire many sights such as the Hero Monument, a small amphitheater, the crown-shaped drinking fountain that used to be used by the passers-by and as a water hole for animals, as well as another drinking fountain, known as the “lower fountain”. The ancient aqueduct of the area, where the holy water from the Aphrodite baths flowed, along with the ruins of a watermill or flour mill are located a short distance away. In addition, there is the Geroskipou Folk Art Museum, which hosts exhibits of folk art.
But the tour does not stop there. The picturesque church of Agia Paraskevi Geroskipou with the five domes, one of the oldest basilicas of the island with its unique hagiographies, is probably Geroskipou’s most famous sight. And from there on to the rocky and steep parts of the area, where the local chapels are to be discovered, most notably the chapel of Agios Georgios or of the Efta Aigiorkidon.
Nobody of course who passes through the area will leave without getting for himself or as a gift a package of loukoumia (traditional sweets, Turkish delight) as a souvenir. The main road just opposite Geroskipou square is full of small craft shops that have been producing the world-famous sweets for at least the last 100 years.