Abandoned Villages: Evretou

[Paphos Life]

Evretou is just off the B7 near Polis. It lies on the banks of the Evretou Reservoir, and is another sad testament to the troubles of 1974. We have tried to get here from the B7 a number of times, and access depends on the water level. If the reservoir is full you have difficulties from this direction. However, at the moment you will be fine.

Read the blog and chat about it below...

[Yioula]

Very interesting.......at least they knew how to build insulated homes back in the old days.......something today's developments are missing..........when you see these abandoned villages you realise what 1974 did to Cyprus........

[Polemi Dave]

I have not been there since the EU restored the mosque. Then many of the buildings were being used to house sheep and goats. There is one building on the north west side. It has a red pantiled roof and from a distance looks newer than the rest. On our last visit the building was being used as a store for farming supplies.

These abandoned villages and there are lots of them, all share one thing, there is no evidence of piped water or electricity ever being installed. The villagers must have lived a very simple life drawing water from the well and using oil lamps or candles after dark.

Coming from the Polis to Stroumbi road you need to cross the bottom end of the dam, As posted above this is closed off as the water level rises. The surface is mostly hard packed mud that has been brought down in heavy rains. When we first visited about 10 years ago I clearly remember walking over a metal bridge just wide enough for a car to drive over. Recently we drove over the area and turned right away from the village. There appears no sign of the bridge and I can only presume it is still there but covered in mud.

When the water level blocks access from the Goudi side there is a comparatively good dirt road from Simou, it runs through orchards and stands of trees, very shady and cool in summer.

[LouiseCastricum]

Also interesting to read:
http://www.cyprusisland.net/villages/evretou-village

[Dominic]

Vretsia had piped water and electricity.

[Polemi Dave]

Vretsia had piped water and electricity.

One to have a look at

[Dominic]

There is a blog about it here.

I did have a picture of a battered ceiling fan on a ceiling, but didn't include it in the article. That must have been powered somehow though. And you can see in there that at least one of the houses had a sink with running water. It could have been added after 1974 I suppose, but it seems odd to go to all that trouble then to let the village die.

But Vretsia is definitely worth a visit, and you should also check out it's burnt out tavern, which I blogged about here.

Thank you for pointing out the water / electricity issue though. It will give me something to look out for in further outings. It gets kind of hard adding descriptions to pictures that aren't just "More ruins. Still more ruins". So anything worth highlighting is a plus.

[PaphosAL]

On my many treks around these abandonded TC villages between 2000 and 2004 (pumping in GPS co-ordinates into Magellan for proposed group walks), I often witnessed EAC installing new power lines to such 'abandonded' TC villages...

Yes- they were ostensiably abandoned by the TCs, but you'll find (I'm sure) that in most of such villages, there are still one or two GC families in residence, keeping an eye on things, and certainly in need of a leccy supply?

Get out of your jeep in any such abandoned village for a walk around/photos, and I bet within 2 minutes, a GC will be alongside you, asking you what you're up to!

Been there, got the T shirt, many times, honest. GC's are preserving and even upgrading these TC villages (and Town areas). Cannot say fairer than that, during the current 43 year old stalemate, can we? I hope the TC's are doing the same in the occupied and internationally unrecognized TRNC area, but somehow, I doubt it...

Cheers (sadly) - AL

[Poppy]

The first time we visited Vretsia must be about 6 or 7 years ago and it was easy to get into some of the houses then. It was really sad as there were still some clothes hanging up and a towel draped over a chair and it definitely looked as though the occupants had left in a hurry. The next time we went a lot of these houses had been boarded up and you could not get inside.There were definitely flushing toilets as my husband included this in one of the pictures of his portfolio which he did in sepia tone which really seemed to suit the pictures and if I remember correctly he called the portfolio desolation which won him 1st prize and photographer of the year.

Although not an abandoned village you may be interested in the abandoned and derelict Hotel Verengaria in Prodomos. This hotel was only built in the 30's and hosted royalty in it's hey day. You can go in
but it is dangerous as some of the floors are rotten and have gaping holes in them. Sadly also full of grafitti but very photogenic.Also the boilers are all still there in one of the lower rooms.

[PaphosAL]

Perhaps the derelict Hotel Verengaria in Prodromos was TC owned, or possibly the outcome of a family fall-out, Poppy?

[Poppy]

I believe that it was the result of a family feud.

[Polemi Dave]

There is an abandoned (apparently) British barracks I would like to know more about.

It is above the Ayia picnic site half way between Kannaviou and Stravros. We had visited the picnic site many times before one of our guests noticed a building almost completely hidden in the trees above the site. Investigation shows the site had once been developed on 3 levels with concrete and pan tile houses, water supply and blocks of latrines.

More recently there is evidence that the forestry department has used the site, even more recently squatters, campers. Dates on some of the cast iron plumbing fittings suggest a date of about 1947. If visiting do take care the wooden floors are in a very poor state.

I am really interested to know if this was British and what it was used for. Perhaps to house the personnel needed to plant the Paphos forest.

[LouiseCastricum]

You have to pay entrance now to visit the Veregaria Hotel in Prodromos.

[Cliffy amo]

Here is a link to our motorcycle rides to Evretou Dam and the Abandoned village! also Vretsia and old Theletra!
Cliffy Amo.

Evretou! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfUaq54pnTs&t=175s
Vretsia! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evy0WXMjHDk&t=390s
Theletra! were I get to talk with one of the residents of the village!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uEgOH4TclQ&t=4s

[PhotoLady]

Nice vids Cliffy Amo