Lysos Village

Figure 6. Church in village Lysos

At east of Meladia no more than 300 m, lied village Lyssos. Lyssos is located about 36 kilometres northeast of Pafos. It is the largest -with regard to territory - village of the Pafos district and covers a range of 9, 526 hectares. The village is built at an average altitude of 560 metres and it borders with the Nicosia district in the east. The village's highest point is " Tripylos" (1, 362 metres), located in the most eastern section of the village, in the " Stavros tis Psokas" region. The river of “Stavros tis Psokas” and the river of “Ezousa” cross the community. The largest part of the village's territorial range is covered by forest and wild vegetation. These are the grounds were the Cyprus Mouflon (" Agrino", Ovis Orientalis Ophion Cyprius) and several other rare birds live. There are remarkable Nature Trails in the region, the visitor being able to observe -unique in their kind -plants, birds, and reptiles. A forest police station has its headquarters in " Stavros tis Psokas" and there is also an amazing camping site. A similar site also exists in Agios Merkourios, not falling short in natural beauty.

Lysos receives an average annual rainfall of about 615 millimetres; vines, fruit trees, olive trees, carobs, citrus trees, legumes, cereals, and a few vegetables are cultivated in the region. However, the greatest part of the village is not cultivated and in it grows wild, natural vegetation such as pines, " ksistarkes" (Cistus Cretan/ Ladaniferous and/or sage Cistus), " latzies" (Abies Chephalonica, fir-quercus, pointed oaks), and cedars. The state forest of Pafos takes up the largest part of the administrative range of Lysos.

As far as transportation is concerned, Lysos is connected to Polis Chrysochous via the Meladia-Peristerona-Steni road. In the north-west it connects to the village Pelathousa and -from there on - to Polis Chrysochous. In the north-east it connects to Stavros tis Psokas, the Monastery of Kykkos, and from there on to the mountain resorts of Troodos.

The name Lysos has archaic origins and relates to the ancient Greek settlements in Asia Minor, from where settlers transferred ancient names to Cyprus. Lisos or Lissos was also the name of an ancient city in Crete. There is another interpretation -and it cannot be ruled out as untrue -reporting that the name Lysos originates from the verb " lyo" (" liono" = melt), because Lysos was used as an industrial area for the melting of metals, due to the abundant water that Lysos had in previous times and also because of the copper-bearing deposit in the area of Troodos's west side.

In Lysos the visitor can admire the unique natural environment at the " Stavros tis Psokas" venue, the village's Byzantine Church that has an ancient Byzantine fresco in the Sanctuary's (Bema) niche, the frescoes in the small church of St. George, and many other sights.

There is no doubt about the village being inhabited by the ancient Greeks. The geometrical vessels, the tombs carved in rock and other findings discovered in the region's archaeological areas, are incontestable testimony. Lysos, through the passage of the aeons, has preserved its national and Greek identity unadulterated and has not allowed the alteration of its ethnic character. The constancy of the various place-names is also confirmed by the folklore, such as the presence of the Mediaeval Digenes with his " patia" (footprint), the Stone of Chartzie, etc.