Kritou Terra - Part 2
In the second part of our article on Kritou Terra we go for a walk through the village streets and pay a visit to the casino. We finish up at the local tavern.
Signs of the Times
We begin the second part just past the memorial and reservoir. Behind us lurk the cafe and ice cream kiosk, whereas the road ahead leads to the waterfall. That will be the focus of another article though, because now we want to head to the casino. So, follow the sign, and turn right here.
Oh and if you missed Part 1, you should look at the first:
Panagia Chryseleousa
On the way to the casino you will walk past the main church.
Mylari Tavern
We also walk past this tavern. Don't worry though, we will be back here later.
The Old Casino
And here we are at the old Casino. There is a notice board to the side, with some more information, but we want to go up those steps.
Inside The Casino
What struck me about the casino is how small it was. It is a single room with a raised platform in one corner. The main attraction is the murals which adorn the walls. For information on the history, I turned to the village website.
The first casino in Cyprus operated in our village, Kritou Terra. It was housed in a building which had been constructed between the years 1860 and 1870, and which is located east of the school. The casino began operating during the Turkish occupation, in particular in 1878, and stopped operating at the beginning of the 20th century. The maintenance of the building has been undertaken by the Department of Antiquities.