At a distance of approximately 50 km from the capital city emerges the gorgeous and picturesque village of Agios Georgios Kafkalou.

The village extends along the foothills of the Troodos mountain range and enjoys a splendid view towards several directions and of different types of sceneries.  While enjoying the view from the village, one gets to see the mountain peak of Madari, olive groves, the peak of Alestos, the pine forests and the Troodos mountain range.

Naming

The naming of the village is linked to a chapel that used to be located in the area and which was dedicated to Agios Georgios. Below the chapel there used to be a cave where a monk used to live and it was in this cave where the icon of Agios Georgios was found.

Additionally, the name of the village is linked to its location. In particular, it is built in a shell-shaped area called “Kafkalos” in Cypriot Greek dialect and therefore it was given the name Agios Georgios Kafkalou.

Historical Background

According to sources, during the medieval years there used to be two housings in the wider area, the “Athasin” and the “Kafkalon”. These housings do not exist today. Moreover, according to the Master Plan records*, the “Athasin” housing was located southeast of the village and is marked on ancient maps as “Attasi”, whereas “Kafkalos” used to be located east of Asinou and is marked on ancient maps as “Cascallo”.

However, apart from the housings, in the area and more specifically at the location “Stroggylovouno”, found north of the village, there used to be tomb caves.   

Habitation in the village in linked, according to researchers, with the decision of the residents of the village of Kyperounta and of other neighbouring villages of Troodos to settle permanently or seasonably to Agios Georgios. During the Turkish occupation and more specifically during the 1830s, as the residents of the village support, three families from Kyperounta started using land in Agios Georgios. In fact, the researchers of the Master Plan*report the names of the first inhabitants, namely Zaharias Yiorki, Charalampos Yiorki , Hadjinicolas and Hajiyiorkis, who arrived a little later at the village and came from Pelendri. In 1842, all the above were sent to trial by the Turks who had come from the village of Lefka and who also occupied the area. The judge ruled in favour of the people from Kyperounta. The aforementioned researchers, based on an interview given by Charalampos Matsenides “Solomou”, explain the judge’s decision by stating the following: “The judge decided that the land would remain in the hands of the people of Kyperounta in exchange for money, possibly because he had been bribed or because, as a different version of the incident supports, Kyperounta was only 11 miles away from the area, whereas Lefka was located at a distance of 17 miles from the area in question” (p.39).

Additionally, the habitation of Agios Georgios was urged by the need of farmers and stock breeders of the area to seek fertile pieces of land and proper grasslands in the village, mainly during the summers months when the climate conditions were adverse and cultivable land expanses limited. In fact, the above researchers explain the following: “Originally, most residents settled in temporarily by constructing storage rooms which were used for their short-term stay and work. As time passed, the number of people who would stay at the village permanently to maintain and take care of the cultivations increased. At first, the settlement was located east of the present church. Therefore, a small housing core was created consisting of some small stony ground-floor buildings, which later formed a permanent housing” *( pp.39-40).

Population   

Agios Georgios is a small community. In 2011, based on Community records, the village had 25 residents, whereas in 2001, according to the census of the Statistical Service, the number was as low as 15 residents. This is considered a substantial increase. However, the number of residents increases dramatically during the summer months. In fact, it is estimated that during this period 140 people live in the village.

The course of the population numbers of the Community, as this is presented in the table below, is mostly downward. The constant decrease in the number of residents over the years is mainly due to the housing nature of the Community, meaning that it is used as a place of temporary residence, while the lack of job positions in the Community and in the nearby area, as well as the absence of infrastructure, also contribute to this fall.

 

Sources: 

Giorgos Karouzis, Strolling around Cyprus, Nicosia, City and District, Nicosia 2001
Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia, Vol.1, Philokypros Publications, 1988
*Master Plan (Action Plan) prepared for the Communities of Agia Marina Xyliatou, Agios Georgios Kafkalou, Vyzakia and Xyliatos, Preliminary study, GEOANALYSI plc. – infrastructure Work Studies, April 2011