Melini

Melini in Cyprus is a small mountainous village in the Larnaca district, situated some 57 kilometers southwest of Larnaca, 37 kilometers south of Nicosia and 35 kilometers northeast of Limassol.

Like most villages in the area, the Melini settlement, located at 590 meters altitude, is characterized by narrow, uphill, cobbled streets, many springs and stone-built houses.

Regarding the origins of the name of the village two are the predominant versions: the first says that the name was derived from the great production of honey by the inhabitants of the area (meli in Greek means honey), while the second version refers to Queen Meletini, to whom a shepherd handed over the image of the Virgin Mary with the gold and the diamonds in its center, after he discovered it shining in the mountains. The queen built a church in the grace of the Virgin Mary in the area where the icon was found and over the years the village of Melini, named after the Queen, was slowly advancing around the church. Later on, the area became known for a distinctive type of embroidery, the “meliniotic”, which came with the Venetians in the 16th century.

To the north of the settlement and next to a small park, the visitor will see Panagia Eleousa (Virgin Mary the Merciful), a stone-built church with a wooden roof and tiles.

The permanent residents of Melini, which stands on the border with Limassol, between Hora and Eptaghonia, do not exceed 70 people.