Platanisteia

Platanisteia is a village of the district of Limassol in Cyprus and is situated 40 kilometers west of Limassol, 106 km west of Larnaca, 123 km southwest of Nicosia and 37 km southeast of Paphos.

Built on top of a hill at 400 meters altitude, Platanisteia or Plataniskeia is a small stone-built village of about 50 people with many picturesque streets, lined with beautiful houses, some restored and others abandoned. The countryside outside the small village is dominated by carob and olive trees.

The visitor who will arrive in the region will have the opportunity to enjoy the center of the village, the small square, the famous Museum of Engravings of Hambis, the clinic and the community tavern. The Museum of Engravings of Hambis hosts exhibits covering the history of engraving, techniques and materials, and over 3,000 prints of various artists works dating from the 16th century until today. And in the summer, every August, the museum operates an engraving workshop, where individuals attend classes and special workshops of this remarkable art for free, in memory of the great Greek printmaker A. Tassos.

Within the narrow village, there are other various artists' homes and what attracts the attention is the “Famagusta” inscription on the wooden door of many homes, an indication of the origin of the inhabitants. People in Platanisteia are refugees from Eptakomi of the Famagusta district, who were forced to leave their village and arrive here after the Turkish invasion of 1974 and the compulsory exchange of populations. As a former Turkish Cypriot community, the community has an old deserted mosque just below the square of the village.

The church of the village is dedicated to Agios Georgios (St George) and is housed in the old school located on a small hill, and was converted into a church after the necessary works and the placing of the bell tower.

Every summer in Platanisteia take place events for the Countryside Festival of Documentary and Animated films, a remarkable volunteer work, with many people coming to the region to enjoy animated films, documentaries and foreign productions.