A RURAL SETTLEMENT IN THE TROODOS MOUNTAINS
A SAFE HAVEN FOR DISPLACED PEOPLE
The village of Fikardou is a small rural settlement built on the southeastern slopes of the Troodos Mountain range within the district of Nicosia. Founded by displaced communities, fleeing pillaged coastal settlements during the Byzantine era, the village is approximately 32km southwest of the city of Nicosia. The foothills of the mountains and the fertile fields surrounding it offered the displaced people safety as well as a new beginning. The village went on to support a thriving rural farming community and the arable land surrounding the village went on to continually produce wines, almonds, olives, cereals, and pulses throughout the ages.
IT’S ALL IN A NAME
There is also evidence that suggests that the village once belonged to an opulent and important native family of Cyprus known as ‘Ficardo’. This is also true of the neighbouring villages of ‘Gourri’ and ‘Lazania’ that also preserve the names of other prominent mediaeval families. The name ‘Ficardo’ is included in the list of the names of noble families recorded by the Archimandrite Kyprianos and it also appears among the most prominent family names in the list of ‘Steffano Lusignano’. Sir Thomas Ficardo was Chancellor to the last King and Queen of Cyprus, James II and Catherine Cornaro. In 1473, he transcribed King James II’s will and he is mentioned as being one of the principal noblemen and feudal landowners of the island.
A RUGGED MOUNTAINOUS LANDSCAPE
The inhabitants of the village since its inception have always been engaged in animal husbandry and land cultivation. Its location constantly allows the sun to shine on the surrounding fields for long periods of the day and this in turn benefited the village’s agricultural development that supported its rural farming community. The landscape of the village is rugged and mountainous, with steep slopes and deep valleys where small streams flow. The village layout consists of the inner branching of narrow, cobbled streets that are only suitable for pedestrians.
THE VILLAGE TODAY
The modern trend of urbanisation since the island’s independence in 1960 affected the village dramatically and over the years, the village began to show signs of decline. Several of its mainly younger inhabitants migrated from the village to the cities, seeking mainstream employment and a more modern life. The dramatic decrease in the population of permanent residents due to this, left many houses deserted and derelict and in turn brought economic depression to the village as a whole. The countryside surrounding the village was also affected by the abandonment of rural farming and in 1978; the Department of Antiquities declared the entire village an ‘Ancient Monument’ in an attempt to protect the village’s environment, monuments and architectural character. In 1984, the Department of Antiquities undertook, as part of a wider program to revitalise rural villages, a program to improve the whole image and structure of the village. This program included works to repair and restore many of the collapsing houses and the Department of Antiquities went on to fully restore, among others, two prominent residences in the village. The Residences of ‘Katsinioros’ and ‘Achilleas Dimitri’, which are outstanding examples of the traditional architecture of the 18th century, were fully restored and together, these two residences host the Fikardou Agricultural Museum. In 1987, these two Houses were also awarded the Europa Nostra International Award for outstanding Architecture.
