Melandra Church and Mosque.

Melandra

This village is part of a chain of mainly ex-Turkish Cypriot villages which extends up to Lyso.

 

 

 

 

Getting there

Melandra Church Interior.

The easiest way is to take the Paphos to Polis road then turn off for Lyso. From the centre of Lyso take a right-hand turn opposite the Cultural Centre then follow the small signposts to Melandra. Before driving down the hill to the village it is worth stopping to look in the woodland on the left and on the heath on the right for interesting plants before driving down the hill to park at the church and the mosque.

Looking around

Melendra Mosque Interior.

A few people seem to live, or exist, in the village but it's main feature is the side-by-side church and mosque, both of which are quite well preserved and if they are open they are worth a look inside while the dogs in the compound opposite bark and snarl at you and the pigs grunt and squeal. The mosque has a minaret and inside stairs up to gallery where the womenfolk had to sit. The church has walls inset with glazed earthenware jugs. There is what appears to be a ruined school just back up the hill from the church and mosque but it seems to have been taken over as a piggery. Above the church and mosque is another small church which is usually locked. In springtime the area abounds with Smyrnium olusatrum (Alexanders) and Tordylium aegyptiacum.

Melandra Pigs.

Below the church and mosque the second turn right leads to a small Turkish graveyard.

From Melandra you can return on the route you came or proceed down a vehicle track to Instinjo. To get to Instinjo take the improbable-looking track to the right, just below the church and the mosque. You should pass through Zakharia then descend to Instinjo. In Instinjo the track becomes cobbled for a while. Take the left-hand turn downhill past the vrisi. At the junction with the main track turn right for Philousa, then Polis or Paphos, or turn left (unsignposted) to Sarama. A rough track leads from Sarama to a junction in the valley floor and from here you can proceed left to explore the upper valley or proceed to the right, drive through the ever-changing quarry tracks then along the valley to a concrete bridge where there is a signpost to Simou. At the top of the tarmac road turn right for Polis or Paphos.