Peristerona Morphou

Peristerona Morphou is a village in the Nicosia district and it is situated about 35 km west of the homonymous capital of Cyprus, 75 km from Limassol, 90 km from Larnaca, and 120 km from Paphos.

Right next to the green line and between the settlements Astromeritis and Akaki, Peristerona Morphou is built, at the foot of the Troodos Mountains and in the basin of occupied Morphou. The river of the same name, which is a tributary of Serrahi, flows next to the settlement. The old neighborhood is located to the west, but due to the fertile soil, in recent years the locals built their homes on both banks of the tributary, and finally the two settlements were joined together by a bridge.

The origin of the village’s name dates back to the Middle Ages and is related to the Greek word “peristeri (pigeon)”, which in antiquity was considered the sacred bird of the goddess Aphrodite. Therefore, the name of Peristerona Morphou may as well mean the place where pigeons were kept. In addition, on the island there are another two villages with the same name.

Peristerona Morphou is a rural village whose inhabitants cultivate citrus fruits, fruits, vegetables, olives, grain crops and almonds. After the erection of important monuments in the area, the construction of the church of Agii Barnabas and Hilarion, as well as the ties of the settlement with the Kykkos Monastery, the Byzantine rulers and the Frankish kings allowed its development over time and today it is the main village of the area.

As is made evident by the Muslim mosque, which still exists today in the village but does no longer operate, the Turkish Cypriots used to live in Peristerona Morphou. Since the Turkish invasion of 1974, things have changed for both the settlement and its inhabitants.

Today, right next to the river, there is the only five-domed church of Agii Barnabas and Hilarion in Cyprus, dating back to the 12th century, and not far from it there is a small chapel with its unique frescoes, Agia Varvara of the 16th century. In the area there are also many cafes. The large chapel of Agios Antonios, which also hosts the feast of the occupied village of Masari, and the chapel of Agios Georgios Megalomartyras (in the community’s cemetery), where the feast of the occupied village of Filia is held, are another two of the churches that one can find in the settlement. Finally, Peristerona Morphou is known for its honey that is produced in the largest beekeeping unit in Cyprus and is based in this particular village.