Villages Of Cyprus – Pachyammos Village

Information on Pachyammos Village

Pachyammos Village                                                             Photo © CyprusExpat.co.uk

Pachyammos Village is located in the Nicosia District of Cyprus. The village lies close to Alevga and Pomos Villages, with the Kokkina enclave visible across the bay. Turkey also lies close to the village and it’s coastline may be seen on a clear day.

The original site of the village was a few kilometres further east of the present site. The location was vulnerable to attack from pirates who came from nearby Turkey, Syria and other surrounding countries, which secretly rounded the bays unseen until it was too late and the village was ransacked. The villagers decided to move the village to a new location, and built the new village along the hill above the beach, where they had clear views across the sea, and the village was easier to defend.

There are many stories surrounding how the Pachyammos Village acquired it’s name, but the most probable is from the thick layer of sand found on it’s beach. The Greek word Pachy means thick and the Greek word Ammos means sand. The sandy beach lies at the foot of the village and is one of it’s main attractions to visitors.

Pachyammos Village prospered through agriculture and fishing, but the main income for the village now lies in tourism, with agriculture to a lesser extent. The tourism season is mainly during the summer months, but there are plans to try to extend this into the winter months.

The Agios Rafael church is located in the village square and it is visited by many pilgrims throughout the year. The Agios Rafael (Saint Rafael) was believed to have held miraculous healing powers and the pilgrims visit to pray for help with their ailments. The Agios Georgios church is located behind the village square on the main road.

The 2001 census recorded the population at 97 permanent residents. The population of the village increases at the weekends, during festivals and school holidays. The summer tourist season also sees a large increase in the population, where seasonal workers arrive and are employed in the various tourist services.

Pachyammos Village                                                             Photo © CyprusExpat.co.uk

Pachyammos Village                                                             Photo © CyprusExpat.co.uk

Pachyammos Village                                                             Photo © CyprusExpat.co.uk

Pachyammos Village                                                             Photo © CyprusExpat.co.uk

Agios Raphael Church                                                             Photo © CyprusExpat.co.uk