The beautiful village of Agglisides is built 17 kilometres southwest of the city of Larnaca. The community of Agglisides is located on the western side of Larnaca, between the city of Larnaca and the community of Kofinou and south of Mount Stavrovouni. It is a village full of olive trees which have been dominating the area for hundreds of years. A special place among the beauties of the village is held by the age long olive tree which has been standing like a sleepless guard on the land of Agglisides for 700 years. More: Age-long Olive Tree

Agglisides is a community which has been experiencing significant growth, both due to its geographical location and the projects which have either been completed or are currently being planned. More: Projects

In the village, both traditional and modern features coexist, since one can encounter both neighbourhoods with houses of modern architecture and neighbourhoods with houses of popular architecture.

Historical Background/Naming

While observing old maps, one will find the village marked in various names. This leads Karouzis to conclude that the village was definitely medieval. The Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia adds that the village was marked on the old maps as “Elisides”. 

Various versions are available with regards to the naming of the village, with the following being the most well-known ones:

• The first version, which derives from Simos Menardos and is preserved in the Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia, links the naming of the village with the word “egkleistra”, meaning a monk’s place of seclusion. This interpretation justifies why the name of the village is also spelled “Agkleisides”.   
• The second version, which is presented on Agglisides Primary School’s website*, mentions that the village owes its naming to the existence of multiple underground churches. Both this version and the previous one change the spelling of the village’s naming by turning the first Greek vowel “ι” into an “η”.
• Another version, which is also cited in the aforementioned website, links the naming of the village to an English visitor who lost his wife while walking in the mountains. When this happened, he started looking for her by asking the villagers: “Agglis i(des)”, meaning “Have you seen an English woman?”. This story was spread by a street vendor who would go to a coffee shop in Larnaca and narrate the story. Everybody who heard the story would say while looking for the street vendor: “Where is that man from Agglis ides?”. 

Population - Growth

Agglisides is a community which is following an upward growth course, something which is linked to its steadily increasing populating course. The projects completed by the Community Council, the geographical position of Agglisides and more specifically the fact that the village is located within a short distance from the city of Larnaca, as well as the improved road network, constitute some of the factors which have contributed in the development of the area and the decrease in urbanisation rates. What is worth mentioning is that one of the projects which have contributed in maintaining the population and mainly the youth is the separation of building plots on state land.    

Services, shops and handicraft establishments are in operation in Agglisides and serve the residents of the wider area, this way creating job positions for the residents of the community. Consequently, some residents of Agglisides work in the village, while others in the nearby city of Larnaca.

Examining the populating course of Agglisides, one observes that the most important increase in the population occurred between the years 1982-2001. In particular, while the community numbered 728 residents in 1982, in 2001 the number of residents rose to 997. Additionally, in 1960, out of the 563 residents 440 were Greek-Cypriots and the remaining 124 Turkish-Cypriots. In 1975, the Turkish-Cypriot residents abandoned the village. However, the population showed an increase both in 1976 and in 1982 in comparison with the number of residents of 1973, something which is closely linked to the construction of refugee housings. Nowadays, more than 1400 people live in the village. What is also noteworthy is that Agglisides is a growing community and is about to become the head-village of the area, since the number of businesses is increasing as time passes. The table above presents the populating course of the village. 

Sources:

Agglisides Community Council’s records

*Primary School’s website http://www.schools.ac.cy/agglisides-dim-la/Agglisides.htm

Karouzis Giorgos, Strolling around Cyprus, Larnaca, City and District, Nicosia, 2007

Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia, vol.1, Philokypros Publications, Nicosia, 1984