Psimolofou

Psimolofou is located about 15 km southwest of Nicosia in the homonymous province of Cyprus, and it is 45 km away from Larnaca, 80 km from Limassol, and more than 130 kilometers from Paphos.

Built on the right bank of the Pedieou river, it is found at an average altitude of 300 meters. Being one of the villages of the mountainous area of the island and part of the complex of the ancient kingdom of Tamassos, Psimolofos is said to have been established since the medieval times, and it was always surrounded by many hills. One of them, located northwest of the current settlement at the site of the communal stadium, was in the form of bread, and because it had fertile lands, it was called by the locals Opsimos Lofos. Eventually, the community, over the years, borrowed the name of the hill, and has had it already since the years of the British occupation (Psomolophou). Historically, the foundation of Psimolofou dates back to the early Middle Ages, as is evident by the remains of various ancient chapels that have been excavated in the area. During the Frankish rule, the settlement was owned by the Templar Knights. The community was then required to pay taxes to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which had moved to Cyprus in 1291. Under the Venetian domination, the settlement, along with other neighboring villages, was part of the estate of Lord Peter Lase. During the same period, most of the olive trees that fill the village to this day, are planted. During the Ottoman rule, a large part of the village’s land fell into the hands of the Turkish Agas, hence the modern names of large plains of the region as the “Plain of Mourouti” and “Kouseoi”, where one can also see the ruined Frankish manor. In fact, many of the locals in order to save their fortunes from the Turks, donated their properties to the Monastery of Machairas. The monks of the monastery worked there, and spent the night in the so-called dependency of the area (part of which still belongs to the historical monastery). Finally, between 1955-1959, during the liberation struggle of the island, the Turkish rebellion of 1963 and the 1974 final invasion, the community sent a great number of its youth to fight. To commemorate all those missing, there is today a commemorative monument and park in the community.

Today Psimolofou counts about 1500 permanent residents (and many refugees from 1974), who are engaged in farming, agriculture, as well as many of those who are working in the capital as private and public employees. In the past, the village was known for its tanneries, since it housed 5 organized leather processing plants, but none of them operate anymore. In addition, the village has a primary school (at the location of the old one), and a public-community kindergarten, while the whole community has been honored with a CTO prize for cleanliness.

Psimolofou has several religious monuments, although in the past the community had even more churches (like the ancient Cross chapel or Monastiroudi). Today in the village, visitors can see the Panagia Katholiki (of the 19th century), whose internal decoration has separate frescoes depicting the Second Coming, as well as the temple of Agios Spyridon and the old Muslim mosque.