A path to the top, beneath the abandoned hotel "Berengaria" which leads to the college "Mitsis" in the village Lemithou. For the return you will follow the same route, or alternatively you will return through the main road Lemithou - Prodromos. It is a pleasant walk through an area with black pine and graphic images around.
The village Lemithou:
Lemithou is a village in the Limassol district, situated to Marathasa region.
Lemythou is one of the highest areas of Cyprus, which is why the climate is cool in summer and mild in winter. It is a village in southern Marathasa, and you will find an amphitheater built in a lush natural environment. It has an average altitude of 1100 meters and is ranked among the 10 highest villages of Cyprus. It is located 65 kilometers northwest of the city of Limassol and about 85 km from the city of Nicosia.
Receives a very high average annual rainfall is around 900 millimeters. Despite the high rainfall, the rugged and steep terrain leaves little room for agricultural development. In limited arable land of the village are mainly cultivated fruit trees (apple, cherry, pear, plum and peach trees), walnuts and a few vegetables and viticulture in danger of disappearing.
Lemythou is associated with winding streets, because of the natural environment, with the Baptist in the east, with Palaiomylo southeast and villages Three Olives and Kaminaria southwest. Through the street Phini - Agios Dimitrios - Palaiomylou - Lemythou you will be provided an easy access to the Kykkos monastery.
History
According to Latri, Lemithou was a royal estate during the Lusignan-Venetian period, which bears witness to the medieval origins of the village. The village existed from the period of Frankish rule but no more data for the previous history.
Population-Residents
Lemythou experienced large population changes. In 1881 the inhabitants numbered 75 to gradually increase to 751 in 1946. Subsequently urbanization hit the village like many other mountain and remote villages so that residents decreased to 669 in 1960 to 433 in 1973 and 252 1982. In the census of 2001 the inhabitants were 107 in the last census of 2011 the inhabitants were 88. On weekends several Lemythiotes are visiting and during the summer the village is filled with foreign visitors.
The origin of the village name
According to one version the name of the village was taken from the Lemithi plant that grows in barren places and whose stems were used in the construction of the saddle and which is known as andropogon (scientific name Andropogon gryllus).
In another version, the name of the village was taken after the name of the first settler called Lemithis.
Personalities
The village became known nationwide as some of the most important prelates of the Eastern patriarchates descended from it. In 1867, a donation of the bishop of Petra Meletios, who came from the village, founded the village's primary school.
From Lemythou came also Demosthenes Mitsis, founder of the homonymous Mitsis School, which opened in 1912. It is considered one of the greatest benefactors of Cyprus and Hellenism of Egypt, he was a prolific charity and contributed large amounts to perform utility projects as well as for the progress and prosperity of education in Cyprus.
The Leventis family descended from Lemythou, which became known throughout the world, with the establishment and operation of the institution C. Leventis.
Traditional products
Lemythou as a wine-producing village of South Marathasa area, has been involved in addition to viticulture and wine, in the production of products from grapes as well. The construction of the products were from the old days. Today, products made from grapes are an integral part of folk heritage of Cyprus. Some of these products are the Palouzes the soutzioukos and zivania (raki).
Traditional residents professions
Sometime in Lemythou flourished various traditional professions which gradually due to urbanization and rural deforestation were abandoned. But even today, the few villagers that are still remaining have different occupations they learned from their predecessors.
In the past and to a much lesser extent today, Lemythiotes engaged in the production and marketing of fruit, such as cherries, apples, pears and peaches. The marketing of fruit is favored by the proximity of the village to the tourist resorts of Troodos region. In other words, a significant number of fruits channeled in the tourist market of Troodos. Also, the village women tend today to prepare the fruit in the village palatable jams and pastries. There was even the production of rosewater which continues today, while another occupation of the inhabitants witch has been abandoned, was the collection and marketing of sumac, the abundance of bush "sumach" which is scattered in the vines of Lemithou. Also, Lemythou ranked first among Marathasa communities, in the production of nuts like walnuts and almonds.
As a custom, the residents are trapping ambelopoulia which are attracted in the region brcause of the existence of fig trees and vine fruits which are their staple diet.
In Lemythou once flourished the grape production of which were producing various derivatives. The prevalent of these, some of which continue to this day is the Palouzes-soutzioukos, wine, zivania, vinegar and raisins. In earlier times the grape juice produced and epsima (concentrated grape juice) and the retsielia (dried apple pieces impregnated with epsima). Other occupations of the residents who had as a basis the livestock was trachana production, halloumi, sausages, Lundza and tsamarella.
Another very old profession in Lemithou was the production and marketing of cocoons and threads. Dealing of this relates to the existence in the region Marathasa both silkworms and mulberry trees whose leaves are the main diet. The most famous silk merchant in Lemithou was Demosthenis Mitsis' family, namely the founder of the homonymous school.
churches
Lemythou has four churches dedicated to the Virgin Mineral, Agios Theodoros in Agios Nikolaos and Agios Georgios which must visit if you go to the village.
Church Panagia Iamatiki
Our Lady of Iamatiki is the main church of Lemithou. This was built in 1721 by the monk Christodoulos. After it had been destroyed, it was rebuilt in 1862 by the Metropolitan of Petra Meletios Matteo. Next to the church the first primary school of Lemithou, 1867, was built at the expense of the same.
In 1908 the church of the Virgin Mary was renovated and took its present form. But the bell tower was built a little later, in 1920 by John Louros. The middle part of the iconostasi and the pulpit are the oldest temple. The new shrine was donated by John Schiza from Lemithou. In the church there are several religious art treasures. Of these stand an Epitaph, a Russian-made felonio priest and a argyrokosmito gospel Venice edition of 1831 which donated the temple Meletios Matteo.
In the church there are also several icons of the 17th century great Byzantine art. Notable amongst these are the True Cross of Christ, the Virgin Mary and John the Theologian located in the old shrine. In the church kept the icon of Our Lady of Agros is painted on goat skin and dated around 1600.
Church of St. Theodore
The church of Saint Theodore is located on a hill at the entrance. In its original state the church was built by a priest with the name Theodore. It is believed that was the main temple of Lemithou in the 16th century. It is a single and a wooden roof with gamma-shaped portico. The temple was destroyed by fire in 1974 and was built a year later with Michael Mouskou costs. Recently Anastasis C. Leventis Foundation expenses were improvements and additions to the church today functions as icon-Byzantine icons. In this exposed very rare images from the 13th until the 19th century.
The chapel of St. Nicholas
Another temple Lemythou is the small chapel of St. Nicholas whose precinct used as the village cemetery. The chapel was formerly the nave of the nearby village of Livadi which was destroyed by raids KARAMANOU from Asia Minor after 1713. In the church there are several old icons of the 18th century as Christ, Saint Anthony, John the Baptist, St. Nicholas St George.
The chapel of St. George
Another temple operated by the community of Lemythou is that of St. George in Agros location. It is believed that this temple served the religious needs of the settlement Agros in earlier times. The church was recently rebuilt at the expense of George and Smaragda Syngelou, expatriates Lemythioton. The church operated on April 23, the day of St. George.
Prepare your things and your mood and off you go!
Start Point: Prodromos village square
End Point: Lemithou
Estimated Time: 1 hour - 1 hour and 30 minutes
Difficulty Rate: Category 3: High degree of difficulty trail Route with difficult terrain such as very steep gradient (uphill and / or downhill), course in particularly rough and / or slippery, and / or steep terrain. Not suitable for young children.
Trip Length: 2 km