Pegeia
Encyclopedia
Peyia is a town in Cyprus
with population approximately 10,000 residents. Peyia is situated mainly on the steep slopes of the coastal hills inland from Coral Bay
, at the southern end of the Akamas Peninsula, and it lies 14 km north of Paphos
. It has a large population of British
ex-pats and a growing number of holiday homes and apartments. In the town centre can be found a town hall, church, police station and several small shops, restaurants and banks. Due to its hillside location many parts of the town offer views over Coral Bay and Paphos.
Peyia actually covers a large area stretching from the Peyia Forest on the hills high above the village in the north, to the sea in the south, and from the Bay of Maa in the east to the Akamas Peninsula in the west. However the name is used more frequently in respect to the town.
, which again has an impressive range of eateries, as well as the Sterna Winnery.
The town is serviced by butchers, a fish market and a bakery, in addition to the large supermarket called Phillipos opposite the church.
word Baia (Bay) due to the close proximity of Coral Bay (Maa), which served as a natural safe docking for Egyptian
cargo vessels dating back to antiquity. The village was first settled by Venetians, during the Venetian Domination of Cyprus (1489-1570), probably by Venetian merchant sailors and or by sailors of the Venetian fleet in conflict with the Ottomans
over Cyprus rule.
The beginning of the Ottoman rule (1571-1878), saw the relationship between the Orthodox and the Ottomans healthier than in comparison with the Catholic
and Ottomans, as a result many of the Venetian settlements on the island, that of Peyia included, had by then already assimilated into Orthodox Christianity as well as Greek-Cypriot way of life.
Distinctively one can notice that the Greek
- Cypriot
dialect in this region, including nearby villages of Kathikas
, Akoursos
, and Kissonerga
has a characteristic singing and fluctuating tone that resembles very much the Italian
way of speech. This can be more distinctively noticeable in conversations amongst elders.
The towns football team APOP Kinyras Peyias FC
currently play in the Cypriot First Division
.
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
with population approximately 10,000 residents. Peyia is situated mainly on the steep slopes of the coastal hills inland from Coral Bay
Coral Bay, Cyprus
Coral Bay is a popular tourist resort in the Peyia municipality 6 km North of the city of Paphos.The coast to the west and to the east of coral bay is characterized by rocky headlands and sea caves, Coral Bay itself is a 600m crescent of soft white sand, enclosed by a pair of limestone...
, at the southern end of the Akamas Peninsula, and it lies 14 km north of Paphos
Paphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
. It has a large population of British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
ex-pats and a growing number of holiday homes and apartments. In the town centre can be found a town hall, church, police station and several small shops, restaurants and banks. Due to its hillside location many parts of the town offer views over Coral Bay and Paphos.
Peyia actually covers a large area stretching from the Peyia Forest on the hills high above the village in the north, to the sea in the south, and from the Bay of Maa in the east to the Akamas Peninsula in the west. However the name is used more frequently in respect to the town.
Local Amenities
Peyia, like many other towns in the Paphos region, sports a large number of cafes and restaurants along the main road of Coral Bay. More places to eat are being built on the next road in, to the east of the main strip, suggesting there is no shortage of demand. These range from taverns, meza houses and traditional cafes, to themed restaurants hosting, for example, Chinese nights. The next significant town is KathikasKathikas
Kathikas is one of the Laona villages in the Paphos District of Cyprus. It is situated on a plateau 23 kilometers north of Paphos. It has an altitude of 645m and a population of 333.It is well known for its grape production, most notably sultana grapes....
, which again has an impressive range of eateries, as well as the Sterna Winnery.
The town is serviced by butchers, a fish market and a bakery, in addition to the large supermarket called Phillipos opposite the church.
Peyia Name History
The origin of the name Peyia, is said to derive from the LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word Baia (Bay) due to the close proximity of Coral Bay (Maa), which served as a natural safe docking for Egyptian
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
cargo vessels dating back to antiquity. The village was first settled by Venetians, during the Venetian Domination of Cyprus (1489-1570), probably by Venetian merchant sailors and or by sailors of the Venetian fleet in conflict with the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
over Cyprus rule.
The beginning of the Ottoman rule (1571-1878), saw the relationship between the Orthodox and the Ottomans healthier than in comparison with the Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and Ottomans, as a result many of the Venetian settlements on the island, that of Peyia included, had by then already assimilated into Orthodox Christianity as well as Greek-Cypriot way of life.
Distinctively one can notice that the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
- Cypriot
Cypriot dialect
Cypriot dialect may refer to:Modern dialects* Cypriot Maronite Arabic* Cypriot Greek* Cypriot TurkishAncient dialects* Arcadocypriot* Eteocypriot...
dialect in this region, including nearby villages of Kathikas
Kathikas
Kathikas is one of the Laona villages in the Paphos District of Cyprus. It is situated on a plateau 23 kilometers north of Paphos. It has an altitude of 645m and a population of 333.It is well known for its grape production, most notably sultana grapes....
, Akoursos
Akoursos
Akoursos is a village in the Paphos District of Cyprus, located 3 km south of Kathikas....
, and Kissonerga
Kissonerga
Kissonerga is a village in South West Cyprus, about 5 miles north of Paphos, in a region notable for the cultivation of banana plantations, an area known as the Ktima Lowlands. In 1980 the population of the village was 700 people....
has a characteristic singing and fluctuating tone that resembles very much the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
way of speech. This can be more distinctively noticeable in conversations amongst elders.
Peyia Vrisi
In the past, villagers had to collect their water from the local spring or 'vrisi'. It was here that everyone met, especially the young men of the village who would congregate to watch the young girls collecting water in their red clay pitchers. It is said that to drink the Peyia spring water made the girls beautiful and several songs were written about the vrisi, one of which ,'Spring of Peyia Woman' is still sung today. The vrisi is still visible though little visited except by newly weds, as this is where a great number of wedding ceremonies are now conducted. The vrisi is in a paved area to one side of the municipal car park in the centre of the village.The towns football team APOP Kinyras Peyias FC
APOP Kinyras Peyias FC
APOP Kinyras Peyias is a Cypriot football club from the village of Peyia of Paphos District. The club formed in 2003 following the merger of lower division outfits APOP Peyias FC and Kinyras Empas FC...
currently play in the Cypriot First Division
Cypriot First Division
The Cypriot Championship First Division is the top tier football league competition in Cyprus. As of 2007 it is sponsored by Marfin Popular Bank and is hence officially known as Marfin Laiki League .-Format:...
.