SPILIA SIGHTSEENG In brief
1. Old church of Agios Antonios Ancient monument The old church of Agios Antonios (Saint Anthony) was built in 1858 by father John Iakovou and the president of the community (mukhtar) Neophytos. There are a lot old icons of the Cornaro style. Two icons and the sanctuary doors were made on 16th century and belonged to an elder church. 2. The Pine-Belfry
3. New church of Agios Antonios The new church of Agios Antonios (Saint Anthony) stands next to the old one. It is built with the stones of the mountain region of Madari, which is harmonically combined with Agios Theodoros bricks on the arches and the pediments. The effort to build a new large church of Agios Antonios began in 1944 by teacher Clearchos Kyriakides and father John Neofytou and after going through many afflictions, it was completed in 1970 by Alexandros Tsaggarides and father Demetres Demetriades. 4. Pafitaina’s olive mill Ancient monument
5. Heroes Monument 6 Hideouts of EOKA 7. “Krya Vrysi” 8. Agios Georgios chapel This small church is situated at the location “Karydi” (walnut) of Spilia, next to the main road which leads to the community. It was built in 1994, having as prime mover the Cashier of the Ecclesiastical Committee, Antonis Karis. This was the vivid wish of many of the residents and expatriates of Spilia because there were the ruins of an elder church. In this place the villagers gathered until 1960 on the Monday after Easter to pray to Saint George. A feast then followed under the shadow walnut trees of the area. The chapel was the church of the settlement which formerly existed in the surrounding area. Nowadays, the area is being reconstructed with beautiful country houses. 8. “O Tafos tis Panouklas” (The Grave of the Plague)
9. Museum of the shoemaker Tis museum is located in the center of Spilia. It was created in 2007 by Andreas Chrysanthou in memory of his father Christos, the famous shoemaker, hunter and dancer. The museum is unique of its kind all over Cyprus. Here you find all the tools and machines of a tradional shoemaker and books with prices and names of customers since 1933. Christos was teached this art on Galata’s village and practised this profession for 75 years (1920-1995)! The bench in front of wich he was sitting all these years, constructed on 1920, stands in the museum full of tools of the same period.
10 Folk Art Museum
11. The house of Antgone Listed house His preserved small house stands in the centre of Spilia and in its semi-underground floor it accommodates the Shoemaker’s Museum. The residence was primarily built in 1870 by Nicolas Kapournais and was bought By Christos Chrisanthou on 1963. Christos donated it to his son Andreas. After application of Andreas the Government of Cyprus decided that it was a fine sample of popular architecture, thus being declared as a listed residence by the Council of Ministers. The house was renovated by Andreas and opened its doors on October 2007 by the Minister of Interior C|hristos Patsalides, during a traditional feast organised by the community. The house is a museum of a rural traditional house of the beginning of the 20th century.
12. The Park of Irene
13. Natural trails Nature lovers and all those who like hiking have many opportunities and challenges for their hobby. Eight nature paths around wait them for remarkable experiences. Each path has its own interest, but two of them, I think, are extraordinary: ‘Doxa si o Theos-Madari’ and ‘Spilies tou Digheni’. The first one has a very wild beauty and the second one has a remarkable historical interest. Three starting points exist on roads around Spilia.. One of them is called ‘Moutti tis Choras’ Here three trails begin: “Mavra Dasi”, “Staorouthkia” and “Doxa si o Theos”. The second one is at the end of “Straorouthkia” and here the trails “Spilies toy Digeni”, “Agia Irene” and “Kourdali” start. The third one stands at the end of “Doxa si o Theos” and from here the trails “Madari” and ‘platania’ start. good starting points. Let’s observe each case separately.
14. Spilia traditional winery This small winery exists in the yard of Andreas and Flora residence at the east edge of Spilia in the “Laou” location. It is a tradionally created room made by the hands of Andreas. Her he placed tvo large pithari (ceramic vessel) one coming from his grandfather Chrysanthos and the other one from his grand-grandfather Kasinos. Two smaller pithari from the same persons are there. A large daminzana (glass vessel) coming from his father Christos stands among them. In one corner you can see an old oak barrel and in the opposide one see also a traditional kazani (distilling copper vessel). Andreas and Flora are very proud for all of them. The couple makes there three kinds of traditional wines from there vineyardsQ Mavro, Pampakas and Xynisteri. They distill also zivania and make liguers from it: Cherry and Androuklia (very rare one).
Andreas Chrysanthou 02/05/2012 SPILIA SIGHTSEENG In brief
1. Old church of Agios Antonios Ancient monument The old church of Agios Antonios (Saint Anthony) was built in 1858 by father John Iakovou and the president of the community (mukhtar) Neophytos. There are a lot old icons of the Cornaro style. Two icons and the sanctuary doors were made on 16th century and belonged to an elder church.
2. The Pine-Belfry
3. New church of Agios Antonios The new church of Agios Antonios (Saint Anthony) stands next to the old one. It is built with the stones of the mountain region of Madari, which is harmonically combined with Agios Theodoros bricks on the arches and the pediments. The effort to build a new large church of Agios Antonios began in 1944 by teacher Clearchos Kyriakides and father John Neofytou and after going through many afflictions, it was completed in 1970 by Alexandros Tsaggarides and father Demetres Demetriades.
4. Pafitaina’s olive mill Ancient monument
5. Heroes Monument
6 Hideouts of EOKA 7. “Krya Vrysi” 8. Agios Georgios chapel This small church is situated at the location “Karydi” (walnut) of Spilia, next to the main road which leads to the community. It was built in 1994, having as prime mover the Cashier of the Ecclesiastical Committee, Antonis Karis. This was the vivid wish of many of the residents and expatriates of Spilia because there were the ruins of an elder church. In this place the villagers gathered until 1960 on the Monday after Easter to pray to Saint George. A feast then followed under the shadow walnut trees of the area. The chapel was the church of the settlement which formerly existed in the surrounding area. Nowadays, the area is being reconstructed with beautiful country houses.
8. “O Tafos tis Panouklas” (The Grave of the Plague)
9. Museum of the shoemaker Tis museum is located in the center of Spilia. It was created in 2007 by Andreas Chrysanthou in memory of his father Christos, the famous shoemaker, hunter and dancer. The museum is unique of its kind all over Cyprus. Here you find all the tools and machines of a tradional shoemaker and books with prices and names of customers since 1933. Christos was teached this art on Galata’s village and practised this profession for 75 years (1920-1995)! The bench in front of wich he was sitting all these years, constructed on 1920, stands in the museum full of tools of the same period.
10 Folk Art Museum
11. The house of Antgone Listed house His preserved small house stands in the centre of Spilia and in its semi-underground floor it accommodates the Shoemaker’s Museum. The residence was primarily built in 1870 by Nicolas Kapournais and was bought By Christos Chrisanthou on 1963. Christos donated it to his son Andreas. After application of Andreas the Government of Cyprus decided that it was a fine sample of popular architecture, thus being declared as a listed residence by the Council of Ministers. The house was renovated by Andreas and opened its doors on October 2007 by the Minister of Interior C|hristos Patsalides, during a traditional feast organised by the community. The house is a museum of a rural traditional house of the beginning of the 20th century.
12. The Park of Irene
13. Natural trails Nature lovers and all those who like hiking have many opportunities and challenges for their hobby. Eight nature paths around wait them for remarkable experiences. Each path has its own interest, but two of them, I think, are extraordinary: ‘Doxa si o Theos-Madari’ and ‘Spilies tou Digheni’. The first one has a very wild beauty and the second one has a remarkable historical interest. Three starting points exist on roads around Spilia.. One of them is called ‘Moutti tis Choras’ Here three trails begin: “Mavra Dasi”, “Staorouthkia” and “Doxa si o Theos”. The second one is at the end of “Straorouthkia” and here the trails “Spilies toy Digeni”, “Agia Irene” and “Kourdali” start. The third one stands at the end of “Doxa si o Theos” and from here the trails “Madari” and ‘platania’ start. good starting points. Let’s observe each case separately.
14. Spilia traditional winery This small winery exists in the yard of Andreas and Flora residence at the east edge of Spilia in the “Laou” location. It is a tradionally created room made by the hands of Andreas. Her he placed tvo large pithari (ceramic vessel) one coming from his grandfather Chrysanthos and the other one from his grand-grandfather Kasinos. Two smaller pithari from the same persons are there. A large daminzana (glass vessel) coming from his father Christos stands among them. In one corner you can see an old oak barrel and in the opposide one see also a traditional kazani (distilling copper vessel). Andreas and Flora are very proud for all of them. The couple makes there three kinds of traditional wines from there vineyardsQ Mavro, Pampakas and Xynisteri. They distill also zivania and make liguers from it: Cherry and Androuklia (very rare one).
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