Peristerona Village - Cyprus
Peristerona Village is about a 10-minute drive from Polis. The area hasn�t been cultivated for many years and the hills are scattered with olive trees, fruit trees, vines, wild flowers, herbs, and if you�re lucky enough, you many even come across some elusive wild mushrooms. The views from this lovely village are superb with the Evretou Dam glistening in front of you and the Akamas peninsula stretching out behind it.
The name Peristerona came from the Greek word �peristeri� which stands for pigeons and in bygone years thousands of these birds made their homes in the nearby tichoulli Gorge (Gorge of the Eagles). Nowadays the traditional feel of this mountain village attracts human visitors to make Peristerona their home. The local council are very proud of their village and are encouraging the local residents to renovate their old stone houses so that the natural beauty of the village doesn�t become awash with modern, nondescript villas. In keeping with the character of the village the council is also making a strenuous effort to persuade developers to build new houses in local stone.
As you approach the village you can�t fail to notice the magnificent building which houses the Byzantine Museum of Arsinoe, and the church of St Mamas built in 1911 next to it. The museum houses a collection of more than 60 icons dating from the 13th to the 19th century. Also on display are woodcarvings, metal artworks, sacerdotal vestments and embroideries and several manuscripts sating back to 1551. The grounds of the museum feature an olive press and several stone features representing various saints.
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