PRYOI

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Pyrogi (or Pyroi) is a village situated in the Nicosia district, six kilometers northwest of Athienou/Kiracıköy on the old Nicosia-Larnaca road. Goodwin claims that the name means red soil in ancient Greek. In 1959, Turkish Cypriots adopted the alternative name Gaziler, literally meaning “fighters of Islam.” 
 
 
Historical Population:

The village has been a mixed village since the Ottoman period. As can be seen from the chart above, Muslims constituted almost 58% of the population in 1831. On the other hand, 60 years later the population ratio of the village’s communities was almost 50:50. Throughout the British period, while the Greek Cypriot population of the village continued to increase, the Turkish Cypriot population fluctuated. By 1960, the population ratio of the village was almost 1:4. In other words, the Greek Cypriots in the village constituted almost 81% of the population.

Displacement:

All the Turkish Cypriot inhabitants of Pyrogi/Gaziler were displaced in early 1964. Most of the villagers sought refuge in Louroujina/Akıncılar(063) and Melouseia/Kırıkkale(365). Until December 1974 when they were resettled, most of the Turkish Cypriots of Pyrogi/Gaziler remained in those villages where they had earlier sought refuge. Currently, the Turkish Cypriots of Pyrogi are scattered throughout the island’s north, with concentrations in towns.

Current Inhabitants:

The village is used only as a Turkish military camp.

  


 
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