TEMPLOS

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Templos, or what Turkish Cypriots call Temros, is situated on the northern slopes of the Five Finger mountains, only three miles west of the town of Kyrenia. Censuses show that this village was mainly inhabited by Turkish Cypriots. It is generally believed that the village was named after the Knights Templar. Apparently, during the Lusignan period, this village was the headquarters of the above-mentioned Knights. In 1975 Turkish Cypriots changed the village’s name to Zeytinlik, meaning “olive orchard.” 
 
Historical Population

As can be seen from the chart above, the village was chiefly inhabited by Turkish Cypriots. However, at the turn of the century (1901)there were some Christians (Greek Cypriots) living in the village. The reappearance of Greek Cypriots in the village’s census reports in 1946 and 1960 is due to a shift in village boundaries that included some villagers from Agios Georgios in Templos. Its population growth was relatively slow in the first half of the twentieth century, increasing only slightly from 137 in 1891 to 165 in 1946.

Displacement:

From its original population no one was displaced; however, the village served as a reception centre for many displaced Turkish Cypriots in 1964. From 1964 to 1974, it was administratively part of the Turkish Cypriot enclave of Nicosia. According to geographer Richard Patrick, in 1971 there were approximately 219 displaced Turkish Cypriots still residing in the village, mostly from Lapithos/Lapta(237), Vasileia/Karşıyaka(252) and Vavilas/Güzelyalı(253).

Current Inhabitants:

Currently the village is primarily inhabited by its original inhabitants and their descendants. However, during the last ten years, many Turkish Cypriots from Nicosia and some Europeans and Turkish Cypriot returnees from the United Kingdom have also bought property and settled here. The 2006 census put the village’s population at 513. In addition there are 283 people living in the newly developed houses within the village boundaries of Templos/Zeytinlik, but these are registered as belonging to the Zeytinlik part of the Upper Kyrenia neighborhood  


 
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