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Palaiometocho is a village in the Nicosia district, and is the largest village in south Cyprus, situated almost ten kilometers southwest of the old International Nicosia Airport. The village’s name derives from the Greek “palaio” (old) and “metochio” (church land or inn). The village very likely acquired this name because it was used as a rest stop for pilgrims who visited Kykko monastery in the Troodos mountains. 

 

As can be seen from the chart above, Palaiometocho was always inhabited solely by Greek Cypriots. The population of the village showed a steady increase during the British period, rising from 495 in 1891 to 1,848 in 1960.

Displacement:

No displacement occurred in the village during the 1963-64 intercommunal fighting or in 1974. However, the village became a very important reception center for displaced Greek Cypriots arriving from the north of Cyprus during and after the 1974 war.

Current Inhabitants:

Currently the village is mainly inhabited by its original Greek Cypriot villagers and some displaced Greek Cypriots who moved there after the 1974 division. According to Goodwin, the “self-housing” scheme for the displaced persons of 1974 got underway in the village in late 1975. The Palaiometocho “Modern Housing Development,” with seventy units, lies on the southern edge of the village center.  

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• Standing Cypriot Commission for the Standardization of Geographical Names (2007), “Οδηγος Τυποποιησης Ονοματων (Guide to Standardized Names),” Nicosia: Ministry of Education and Culture.
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Websites:

• http://www.cyprus-village.com/ (for the villages)
• http://news.karpasha.com/
• http://human-rights-archaeology.blogspot.com/
• http://kypros.org/Occupied_Cyprus/ (for the villages in the north)