Kritou Terra - Part 2
Casino Murals
This pioneering idea at the time belonged to our fellow villager, Savvas Makrides, who also managed the operation of the casino. Describing this special venture, the following words were written about Makrides: “He dared to do the unthinkable for the time by bringing women from Turkey, Syria and Lebanon, who did belly dancing at the casino while the customers were playing cards and gambling in general”.
Bricked-Up Door
On this wall it looks like there used to be a doorway here, on the left. I looked on the outside though, but all I could see was a wall. So who knows what it was...
As it is distinctively mentioned, the visitors of the casino were mainly Turks, as well as the “elite of the Middle East”. Among those who added a special glamour to the casino with their presence was the king of Egypt, Namouk.
What is one worth noticing are the frescos on the internal walls of the casino, whose themes are inspired by history and tradition. One of the frescos depicts scenes from the arrest of the Greek Revolution hero, Athanasios Diakos. In particular, one can notice the arrest of the hero and two armed Turkish soldiers. Depicted on the other fresco is the well-known popular hero, Koutalianos, and this fresco was made in his honour when he visited the community in 1896.
Koutalianos?
It is hard to imagine that a room this size once played host to Egyptian Royalty.
Raised Area
What surprised me about the raised area was the fireplace. You don't normally see one on a raised wooden floor.
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Kritou Terra - Part 1
These days Kritou Terra is most famous for its waterfall. If you decide to visit it be sure to allow time to have a wander around the village itself though. There is plenty to see, as we shall show you over the course of this two-part article.
Kritou Tera Spring Flowers
Cyprus is in bloom at the moment. To see it, you only need to get in a car and drive out into the countryside. We did just that, and headed to the countryside around Kritou Tera...Related Pages
MapKritou 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.
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eBookCyprus Road Trip 01: the Kathikas - Panagia Loop
Let me take you on a journey around the region of Paphos, Cyprus. Starting at Paphos itself, we travel to Akoursos, then Kathikas, Kritou Terra and Simou. We continue past Lasa and Kannaviou, before taking in the delights of Panagia. Getting a bit more adventurous, we visit the abandoned villages of Statos and Agios Fotios, before passing through Choulou, Letymbou and Polemi, and rejoining the main Paphos - Polis road.
The route is suitable for all types of vehicle, and requires no off-roading. The guide contains about 130 photographs including shots of all the road signs you need to pay attention to, as well as some of the highlights you may experience along the way.
There are also several maps which will help you keep your bearings.
You can do this journey in a day, or you can break it up into chunks. You can also do it in reverse, to get some completely different views. It is entirely up to you.
