Description

Lythrodontas is built on the foothill of the mountain region of Machairas and is covered by the green colour of the olive groves. It is not after all accidental that Lythrodontas is known for its rich olive groves.

The village is located in the Nicosia District, in a relatively short distance from the capital, since it is only 31 kilometres away.

Historical retrospect

According to the Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia, the name of the village leads to the conclusion that it was established during the Byzantine years. However, some ancient remains reveal that the village was inhabited since the ancient time, mainly during the Hellenistic years.

Later on, both during the Frankish occupation and the Venetian occupation, the village was a fief. Actually, it is marked on maps by the name of Litrondi. Karouzis writes that "in the medieval years it had been a known fief, which, according to Florios Voustronios, used to belong, between the years 1464-1468, to Vinsignera Moressin first, and to Petros Voutronios second".

During the Turkish occupation, many residents of the village were Crypto- Christians. Afterwards, however, as the Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia writes, "they became unconcealed Christians in groups”. And it adds: “According to Nearchos Clerides, this happened during one Easter when they had gone to the churches and the other residents did not allow them to attend the mass. As a result, on the next day, they all went to the Archbishopric in Lefkosia and were baptised".

Also mentioned about the period of the Turkish occupation is that "many residents of Lythrodontas acquired land property in Latsia, near Lefkosia, where they eventually settled and established large olive-tree plantations".

As time went by, mainly from the beginning of the 20th century, Lythrodontas, as the Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia underscores, constituted the head-village of the region. Nowadays, Lythrodontas continues to follow a growing course. Actually, as Karouzis observes, many people from the capital build their country houses in Lythrodontas.