Palaiochori Orinis
Palaiochori Orinis is situated about 40 kilometers southwest of Nicosia in the homonymous province of Cyprus and it is about 75 kilometers southeast of Larnaca, 40 kilometers from Limassol town and about 100 kilometers away from Paphos.
Built amphitheatrically amoing the high mountains of the Troodos mountain range, the settlement is about 1000 meters high and crossed by the Serrahi river. Being one of the largest villages of Pitsilia, in 2001 the locals decided by referendum to become two separate communities. Thus, following the stream flowing through the area, which is a branch of the Peristerona river, to the east of it is the Palaiochori Orinis, while to the west is Palaiochori Morphou.
Historically, both Paleochori and Palaiochori Morphou were created by residents of Nicosia and Morphou, who moved from their areas to protect themselves from Arab raids. The place, on the other hand, could accommodate many other settlements, so the locals spread to the world: “Elate, o topos mas pale chorei (Come on, our place can fit plenty)”, so the name “Palaiochori” came from that phrase. Some, on the other hand, argue that with the passage of the years, an old pagan name had been replaced by the current name of the village.
Being one of the most interesting mountainous villages of the island, Palaiochori Orinis retained its traditional character, and packed with vineyards, fruit trees and verdant surroundings, it counts many years of history, offering the visitor a number of cultural attractions.
As the name of the settlement reveals, Palaiochori Orinis is a very old village (paleo chori means “old village” in Greek), with references to it in documents of the 13th century. The official founding of a village, however, dates back to Byzantine times. In 1297 the then king of Cyprus, Henry II, gave it to the Knights Templars of the Little Commandaria of the Templo (12th century). According to historian de la Matri, at the beginning of the 14th century, the settlement passes into the hands of the Knights of the Order of Saint John, while another source reports that it was a private feudal estate of the family of the Ivelines. In the 14th century, the village was divided almost as it is today (in two administrative centers), and the river Peristerona served as the boundary. The settlement on its right bank belonged to the "territory of the Ipokomitia", while the one at the left bank of the river belonged to the "Pentagia kontrada". At the beginning of the 20th century, the village of Palaiochori Orinis was the seat of various administrative services, and due to its geographical location, the village actively participated in the liberation struggle against the English (1955-1959). Here were born important fighters and Cypriot politicians such as Kyriakos Matsis, Michalakis Karalis, Nikos Georgiou and Polykarpos Georgakatzis. Their unrivaled contribution was honored by the community of Palaiochori Orinis with the erection of an honorary monument (in front of the church of Panagia Chrysopantanassa, in the heart of the village). The village also hosted one of the heroic fighters of EOKA’s liberation struggle, Grigoris Afxentiou, whose hideaway (a bakery) is open to the public, for the visitors of the settlement (EOKA hideout of Palaiochori Orinis).
From the small picturesque square of Kotzikas, the visitor can admire the folk architecture of the houses with stone being the main material, as well as rest in the typical Cypriot “arches”. In the center of Palaiochori Orinis is the homonymous Museum of Byzantine Heritage, which gives the visitor the opportunity to see works of religious art and documents dating from the Frankish period until the 20th century. The old school, on the other hand, a building of the 19th century, which is the library of today’s community, is another point of interest for the visitors of the area. The marble statue of “the Cypriot Mother" with the inexhaustible view of the village is another mandatory stop for those who are touring the settlement, as it praises the patriotism of the locals and is dedicated to the mothers who sacrificed their children in the period 1955-1959. From this point on, the visitor can visit the so-called Maroullenna valley, the wooden church of Agioi Anargyroi and the frescoes of folk style, as well as an engraved path, about three kilometers long, and then see the chapel of Archangelos Michael in the pine forest of "Appi". However, activities in the area do not end there, as the community is suitable for mountain biking (in the direction of Apliki), and is full of naturalistic paths and nature trails leading to old EOKA hideaways.
In the community of Palaiochori Orinis, there are many churches and precious religious monuments, most notably the homonymous church of the Metamorfosi tou Sotiros (Transfiguration of the Saviour) or the Agiou Sotiros (Holy Savior), as it is known to the locals, which is one of the UNESCO-listed monuments of the island. At the center of the settlement is the 16th-century church of Panagia Chrysopantanassa, which has very important frescoes, which, curiously, do not bear explanatory inscriptions on them. Next to the church there is a specially designed hall for events. Palaiochori Orinis has managed to keep its inhabitants (about 400 permanent residents), although after the proclamation of the Republic of Cyprus its population has decreased significantly.
As one of the best irrigated areas of the island (because the dam Palaiochori- Kambi), Palaiochori Orinis has been exploited agriculturally, and as a result the residents deal mostly with viniculture and preparing zivania (traditional local pomace brandy) by the traditional way of distillation, as well as growing a special variety of beans. In addition, both neighboring communities are famous for producing potatoes and tomato “pomylorka”. Apart from that, the village takes pride in its bakeries and locals also produce smoked hams and sausages, which guests can buy from the shops of traditional products of the settlement. Finally, the rural community has a health center, a guest house, an agrotouristic lodge, a modern hotel and many taverns and cafes.
Palaiochori Orinis is located on the interchange between Nicosia-Limassol, on the border of the two cities, making it a good base for excursions to the surrounding villages of Pitsilia.