Agios Theodoros Pitsilias

The seven hills of Pitsilia

Agios Theodoros Pitsilia or Agios Theodoros Agrou, as it is often called, is a village located in the Limassol province.

It is a village that is about 33km away from the city of Limassol and it is at an altitude of 1023m at the foot of Papoutsa and in the heart of Pitsilia. It is also called "Eptalofi of Pitsilia" (meaning: the seven hills of Pitsilia) since it is built on seven hills, a name that is also referred to a the "Eptalofi of Constantinople" - The seven hills of Constantinople.
Photo: Papadopoulos Ioannis

The painter Adamantios Diamantis lived in Agios Theodoros, he was inspired by the village and this is evident by his various depictions, in several of his works.
Photo: Costas Mageiroudes

The visitor before entering the village faces a magnificent sight. Almonds, peach trees, cherry trees, apple trees, pine trees, poplars, but mainly vines and narrow cobblestone streets, with stone-made houses with tiles, make up this special landscape, the small terrestrial paradise that varies from season to season.
Photo: Agios Theodoros Pitsilias

In winter, the village is covered with white, in a climate of tranquility. While in the summer and spring season it is covered with greenery and it is accompanied by the gallaning of birds. It is no coincidence that some of Adamantios Diamanti's wonderful works are inspired by this wonderful nature.

Historical development of the village:
The area was inhabited since the 4th century BC, as evidenced by idolatrous tributes, clay statuettes, broken vases and bronze coins found in the area and dated during the Hellenistic and Roman period.

Specifically, in the region of Vasiliki, according to tradition, there existed in the past an ancient kingdom, there is a small settlement inhabited since the Hellenistic period, i.e in the 4th century BC and was destroyed or abandoned during the Roman period of the 3rd century AD.

In 1976, a workshop of EAC was working in the centre of the village in an attempt to place a pile, the ground receded and revealed a vaulted tomb. According to the Department of Antiquities and based on the broken clay pots and coins found, this tomb belongs to the Roman era. In 2008 another tomb with objects of the same era. The findings of 1976 are now in the Archaeological Museum.
Photo: Costas Mageiroudes

In addition to the village of Agios Theodoros, there are two other settlements, one in the area of ​​Platis and one in the Linoues, dating back to the Roman period.

The settlement in the area that is currently built in the village existed during the late Byzantine era, but also during the following periods, during the Venetian, Frankish and Ottoman times.

The settlement of Agios Theodoros from the Hellenistic period and its continuation until today (2018) leads us to the conclusion that the location of the village served the daily needs of the inhabitants. The excellent climate and clean air that characterises the area worked as a lung and gave life to the village for almost 2,500 years.
Photo: Costas Mageiroudes

Churches of the village:
There were seven churches in Agios Theodoros Pitsilia. The church of Agios Mamas, the church of Agia Paraskevi, the church of Prophet Elias, the church of Archangel Michael, the church of Panagia Kivotou, the church of Agios Georgios the Tropephorou and the church of Agios Theodoros of Stratilatis.

From these seven churches, the following churches survived:

• The church of Panagia Kivotou is a 16th-century building that is adorned with a 17th-century wood-carved iconostasis

 Photo: Polydoros Aplitziotis

• Agios Georgios, built in 1840, which houses an old gospel of 1550 and
• Agios Theodoros, building of 1977 at the site where the church of the same name was built.

Additionally, in Agios Theodoros there is the chapel of Agia Kyriaki, a stone-built chapel with a gabled roof.

The village is dedicated to Saint Theodoros the Stratilatis and the memory of the Saint is celebrated on February 8th.
Photo: Costas Mageiroudes

Sights of Agios Theodoros:
Amongst others, in Agios Theodoros, one can visit the Museum of Rural Life, the Historical and Folklore Museum, in which are presented important sections of everyday life as well as the historical events connected with Ayios Theodoros through the centuries. In the museum there are samples of everyday life tools of the residents as well as personal objects of the great painter Adamantios Diamantis.
 Photo: Τheodoros Μichael 

It is worth mentioning that the museum hosts two important icons of Cypriot iconography, the Virgin Mary of Vrefokratousas and Prophet of Elias.
Photo: Costas Mageiroudes

You will be impressed with the tall, green vineyards that cover in many places both the streets and the alleys of the village.

Finally, in the courtyard of the church of Panagia you will meet a century-old terebinth as well as an oak and a pine that have been declared protected by the Forestry Department. In the village there is also an old olive press.

For the map of the area, click HERE