This is a mountainous village in Cyprus, known for its steep “relief” slopes. Situated at an altitude of 850 meters, it is one of the two highest mountain villages in the Larnaca District. We are referring to the beautiful and picturesque community Vavatsinia, which is literally nestled within a dense pine forest.
As always, before we explore a community – in this case, Vavatsinia – it is worth learning about the story behind its name. Initially, according to the village’s Community Council website, the settlement of Vavatsinia was founded during the Arab raids, with shepherds from the surrounding areas of the villages of Panagia, Agios Nikolaos, and Agia Marina being its original inhabitants. “The residents of these communities were forced to leave the coast to escape from the Arabs and seek refuge in the mountains with their animals,” it states.
From the traditions of Vavatsinia’s residents, passed down through generations, it is said that the community took its name from an ancient sycamore tree, also known as a mulberry – vavatsinia, which has four large trunks and still stands rooted on a rock near a stream, “embracing” the lower part of the village. The road connecting the settlement with neighboring communities runs above the stream. It is said that this particular tree dates back over 300 years and was significant for both the early inhabitants and travelers. Thus, it served as a landmark, a symbol of the community, and a place of rest.
This specific mulberry – the vavatsinia – is not merely considered a tree but represents a living connection to the history and identity of the village itself.
Written by Christina Georgiou
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