Palia Kakopetria - Old Kakopetria
Old Kakopetria is the most graphic and beautiful part in the village of Kakopetria in the Nicosia district. Today it is forms the west part of the village, in particular it is situated in the left side of the Solia Valley. Old Kakopetria is surrounded by two rivers, Karkoti and Garilli.
The architecture of Old Kakopetria does not leave any visitor indifferent. The houses are built next to each other and are all two storeys. Each house seems to only be a breath away from the other, making each roof like a notional road in which the whole village is connected to.
The houses are covered with sloping tiled roofs, with wooden bases. Each house has a wooden balcony which also adds an element of decoration. Most houses are built with local stone, from the rivers in the area.
Apart from the beauty the two storey houses had, they also had a particular use. The lower floor was used as a storage area with large ceramic pots in which wine and other products were kept. The families that had animals also used this area to keep the animals in. The upper floor also called the “anogy” is the area in which the family lived. Each house had a small garden, in which wood was placed for cooking as well as for the “tsiminia” which was like a fireplace.
A spiralling, narrow and uphill road passes through the houses in Old Kakopetria. It is made from stone and maintains the preservation of the traditional architecture in the village. The traditional architecture is based on the construction of the houses as well as the traditional structure of the village which classify it as a specimen of ancient folk architecture.
The preservation of the traditional architecture is contributed by the villagers, who showed an especial interest in the restoration of the houses. In particular the restoration of the first houses was based on a private initiative, while the assistance from the Department of Antiquities began in 1980.
