Stroubi

Stroubi in Cyprus is a village in the province of Paphos and it is situated 18 kilometers north of the homonymous city, 80 kilometers northwest of Limassol and 165 kilometers southwest of Nicosia. Built at an altitude of 450 meters and in a lush landscape of tulips, olive groves, impressive gorges and in the middle of the route that leads from Paphos to Polis Chrysochous, Stroubi with the approximately 800 inhabitants, is one of the most picturesque and large villages in the province. In this large ampelochori (wine-producing villages of Cyprus) that had enjoyed days of great glory until the 1980s, vineyards of winemaking varieties are cultivated, with the most important ones being red “Mavro” and others (karinia, white and sauvignon, levkada, chardonnay and sultanina). Fruit groves, almonds, olives and walnut trees are also growing in the area. The production of grapes is not limited to wine, but is also intended for the production of the famous Zivania (pomace brandy), palouze (traditional Cypriot sweet jelly made out of grape juice) and soutzoukos (another traditional Cypriot sweet made with grapes), which are all traditional dishes of Cyprus.

Inside the settlement, which still maintains its traditional aspects and architecture, and among its narrow streets, there are restored buildings of folk architecture with wooden doors and inner courtyards, beautiful stone-built houses with well-groomed and flowering gardens, while a little further north are the modern and luxurious residences of Cypriots and foreigners who use them as a holiday or permanent residence. In the past there were grape processing factories that were closed due to industrialisation and urbanisation, and the only one still operating today is the largest wine factory on the island, ”Kamantarena" of the cooperative SODAP.

Stroubi was known from the ancient times and the late Neolithic period of the Bronze Age, mainly due to the excellent quality of its wines, while it has existed under the same name since the Middle Ages and was one of the private fiefs of the Frankish period. Its name is linked to the previous site on which it was built, as it was located in a “strouboulo” (meaning circular, round in Greek) site, shaped as a pinwheel, but another version reports that the village belonged to someone called Strumbis, which meant a short and fat man.

The old settlement was situated about 1 kilometer north of today’s location, but after the great earthquake that hit the wider area of Paphos in 1953, the village was almost completely destroyed, abandoned and the residents moved to a safer place. Some locals, however, when they married their children off, returned to the “old village” and now both settlements are inhabited. The visitor who arrives at Stroubi has a lot of sights to visit, the village churches, the picturesque cafes in its square, as well as historical monuments such as the detention centers near its entrance. The detention facilities are one of the eight that functioned during the British rule as prisons and torture grounds of EOKA fighters from 1955-59. Just a short distance from the detention centers and on a hillside, the Byzantine-style chapel of Agia Marina is celebrated by its icon’s litany on July 17th.

In the square, which is the nucleus of the community and the busiest spot for locals and tourists, there are the offices of the community council, as well as traditional cafes, restaurants and traditional taverns with excellent food and local appetizers. On the square there is the towering centenarian eucalyptus, a trademark of the village and the main church under the name of “i tou Theou Sofia” (meaning God’s Wisdom). The church is a stone-built Byzantine-style building with a dome, built in the 1950s after the earthquake, replacing St. George’s church in the “old village” that had then suffered great damage. The icon of the Holy Spirit dating back to the 15th century is located inside the temple and celebrates on the day of the Holy Spirit, when a litany of the icon takes place.

Agios Georgios, the former main church in Stroubi, of Gothic style, was built in 1914, but as mentioned above, it suffered damage from the earthquake and was temporarily repaired in 1958. A second earthquake in 1996, however, worsened its structural condition. On the outside of the temple can be seen reliefs as decorative elements with various grapes and lions, as well as the shape of St. George. The church operates only once a month but celebrates on April 23rd with the litany of the icon of the saint.

In the community there is also the small chapel of Agia Paraskevi. The village has solid infrastructure, as there is a primary school and a kindergarten, a youth center that undertakes many events for young people in the village, a police and fire station, a supermarket, a kiosk and a bakery.

Also worth mentioning is the green park with the pine trees, palm trees and colorful flowers, as well as a beautiful mosaic stone-carved mural that the visitor can admire along the road of the village and was made by the local artist Charalambos Epaminondas, with colorful designs devoted to god Dionysus and depicting grapes and agricultural work. Besides, the village of Stroubi is so connected with the tradition of wine and wine production, that since 1982 the local community organizes the annual Dionysia Festival in honor of the ancient Greek god and gathers crowds from all over Cyprus. The festival is the second largest on the island after the wine festival in Limassol.