Steni Paphou
At the northwestern tip of Cyprus you will find Steni Paphou, which is located in the homonymous province of the island and is about 7 kilometers away from Polis Chrysochous, while it is a stone’s throw away from Agios Isidoros Paphou and Karamouliides.
Although it is built at an altitude of approximately 200 meters, the village of Steni Paphou, overlooks from above the bay of Polis Chrysochous, the Paphos forest and the surrounding villages. In the wider area, due to the hot climate, apart from olive trees, grains and citrus fruits are also produced, as well as many summer fruits, cherries, watermelons, and more exotic ones, such as bananas, mangoes, and avocados. Today, those of the “faithful” residents of the village who did not emigrate to South Africa (about 120 people), where there was a large current of migration from Paphos, engage in livestock farming, agriculture and tourism. Indeed, every third Sunday and at the end of the month, there is a large farmer’s market in the settlement, so the most lucky of the visitors can taste local products firsthand.
The origins of the name of this village are subject to many theories, the first and most likely being that the early settlement was located within a narrow (steno in Greek) of the river of the community. According to another theory, the first resident of Steni Paphou is said to be a shepherd who kept his herd in the “Stenia” site, next to the banks of a river, and the paraphrase of the word “stani”(meaning animal pen in Greek) later gave the present name to the village.
There are no accurate historical records of Steni Paphou, but later excavations, centered around a medieval watermill, revealed that the village was probably first inhabited in the 16th century, and it was also mentioned on maps of the 12th century (the year of erection of the old monastery of the community). However, the most important finding in the area until today is the sandstone epigraph that is exhibited in Paphos.
Nevertheless, the history of Steni Paphou is indissolubly linked to the existence of the homonymous river, which flowed into the bay of Polis Chrysochous, and gave life to the community for centuries, but regrettably dried out very recently. This river, the Steni river, which the locals themselves identified in 1926, formed small lakes in the past, where women washed their clothes. In the so-called “laundry” of the village, many barefoot women beat the clothes to get them clean, and others went back and forth in order to fill the pitchers with water. Men, on the other hand, built “dimmata” (dykes in Greek) in high places above their homes, in order to water their gardens. Also in the past by the river were five olive mills, and there was a bridge dividing the community into two. Today, in the Folk Museum of Steni Paphou, the visitor can wander in the past history of the village with the help of tools and other objects preserved by the inhabitants.
The combination of mountain and sea has made Steni Paphou a prime destination for estate sales. There, many English people have built their homes and commute for their work in the cities, while many of the locals have repatriated to the area, or built their country houses or tourist villas there. Some elaborate stone constructions at the three entrances of the village, adorned with the emblem of the community, the fox, welcome the visitor of Steni Paphou and lead him to the renovated stone square of the village. There you can find a parking lot, take a stroll to the newly built open theater of the community, the Monument of the Fighters, and the newly built stadium, or relax in the local cafe-restaurants. The village additionally has a community center with offices, an event room, a clinic and several public areas. In the surrounding area there are many accommodation options for those who want to stay in Steni Paphou, while the community also has two churches. The first one is dedicated to Saint Tryphonas (1913), and the church has been recently renovated, while its bell tower, which is entirely constructed with carved stone of the area, is well worth visiting. The old basilica monastery of Panagia Chryssolakourna (north of the settlement) is located at a magnificent site with panoramic views of Akamas.
Last but not least, Steni Paphou is a natural habitat of the rinolofos fruit bat, a rare species of bats that feed exclusively on fruit, and so the most risky nature lovers can explore the caves of the area.