Kato Kivides

It has been an abandoned village for decades

Kivides is a small picturesque village in the Limassol province. It is approximately 25km from the city of Limassol.

Historical data:
Kato Kivides is built at an altitude of 425 meters above sea level. To the north and east it borders with Agios Therapon, to the south with the community of Souni-Zanatzia and to the west with the Pano Kivides.

Photo: Paraskevas Loullis Sofroniou

The Name of the Village: 
The main version for the origin of the name Kivides states that the village was named after the medieval family of the noble Cypriot de Kivides (de Quevides or de Chivides). It is not certain, however, whether the village took its name from that family or whether the family took its name from the village, although it is probably considered that the village got its name from that family. 

Another version states that the name derives from the "kividiotiki" stone (cuboidal stone) that came out of the earth naturally, in the form of a cube.

In addition, according to linguist Menelaos Christodoulou, the name Kivides comes from the old French word Guivides, which means large vineyards or large forests.

Population: 
The inhabitants of the Kato Kivides were Turkish Cypriots. During the bi-communal disturbances of 1963-64, the inhabitants left their village but returned in 1965. After the Turkish invasion of 1974, its inhabitants moved to the northern part of Cyprus. Most settled in Prastio Nicosia.

No inhabitants settled in Kato Kivides. It has been an abandoned village for decades. No resident was recorded in the 1976, 1982 and 1992 censuses. The 2001 census recorded 2 residents while the 2011 census recorded 5 residents.

For the map of the area, click HERE