Lazanias

It is one of the most picturesque villages in Cyprus

Lazania is a community of Nicosia, built at an altitude of about 900 meters. In the northwest, it is adjacent to the village of Gourri and to the southwest with the village of Farmakas.

According to the 2001 census, it has 33 inhabitants. Today (2018) the inhabitants of the village of Lazanias, as mentioned by the Community Council, are only 7. However, the village has had a flow of development in recent years.
Photo: Antreas Constantinou

The history of the village of Lazanias:
In the area around 1160, there were several small settlements inhabited. At the initiative of the monks Ignatios and Prokopios and expenses of the Monastery of Machairas, these settlements were united and the village was created. The Lazania community as well as other villages were given the rights of the new monastery at the Komnenos Dynasty.
Photo: Marinos Kleanthous

The name of the Village:
The name of Lazanias is related to the Lusignans. The Lusignans during the years 1192 -1489 applied the feudal system to Cyprus, abolished the privileges of the Holy Monastery of Machaira and gave the village as a feud to one of the Lusignans. Then the Orthodox population reacted by saying the phrase "the land of the Lusignians (Lazaniades)" from this phrase came the name of the village.
Photo: Antreas Constantinou

Another variation of this version says that the Frankish family that was given the village as a feud was called de Lusignan. In particular, the name Lazanias is a corruption of the name "Lusignan" referring to the Francois de Luzignan's royal family. A third version, says that the village's name came from its first settler named Lazanias.

Sights and churches of the village of Lazanias:
Walking through the narrow, stone-made winding streets of the village of Lazanias, you will find brick-built tiled houses with beautiful balconies with wooden beams and carved windows and doors.
Photo: Antreas Constantinou

In the village of Lazanias you will find churches of significant archaeological value and architecture such as the church of St. George built in the 19th century. It is a wood-carved church, which according to the Great Cypriot Encyclopedia is believed to have been built between 1811 and 1821 and renovated in 1855. The chapel of Agios Mamas and the Monastery of Machaira built at an altitude of 870 meters at the mountain Kionia in the valley of the Machairas Mountains . There, the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary Macheria is kept there, which is attributed to the Apostle and Evangelist Luke.
Photo: Antreas Constantinou

Additionally, anyone who visits the Lazania community will see the Heroes Monument dedicated to a group of fighters created in 1957 after the hero of Gregory Afxentiou. This group was originally home to Ignatius Mitrophanes' house in a crypt in the stable of his home. The group consisted of the Deputy Chief of Staff Andreas Sievetonis, the Undersecretary Theodosi Tsagaridis and the fighters Andreas Tzioni, Nino Gallos, Andreas Antoniou, Anthimos Machieriotis, Giannakis Christodoulides, Apostolos Konstantinos and Sophroni Lympoura. For a short while, Leftis, Messiouris and Praxiteles passed by the hideouts. Finally, it is worth mentioning that there is also the hiding place of the hero Gregory Afxentiou in the village.

For the map of the area, click HERE