Location:

Fterikoudi is built on the lush green slopes of the Troodos Mountains, about 48 kilometers southwest of the capital city. It is one of the most beautiful and picturesque villages of the Pitsilia region and also one of the 20 highest villages in Cyprus, as it is situated at an altitude of 1,050 meters.

Lets learn more about this lovely village… 

Historical Information:

The village appears to have origins from the Medieval period. On old maps, it is recorded as ‘Ieroudi’ and ‘Iermidi’, names that were likely altered during the Middle Ages.

Fterikoudi was created shortly after 1570, when the neighboring village of Kalamithasa was destroyed. This village is mentioned by ‘de Mas Latri’  as one of the royal estates of the Lusignan–Venetian period. Specifically, Fterikoudi was founded by survivors of Kalamithasa after the destructive actions of the Turks. Today, in the area where Kalamithasa once stood, there is the chapel and tomb of the miraculous Saint and Prophet Avvakoum.

Notably, excavations in the 1980s near the tomb (now a church) of Saint Avvakoum uncovered an ancient altar and a tomb entrance, likely dating to the Mycenaean period. Unfortunately, this site was destroyed in 2022 by monks constructing a monastery under the supervision of the defrocked Archimandrite Nektarios Georgiou. Today, only a baetyl (sacred stone with a hole) and some megalithic stones remain, incorporated into the wall of the old church.

Name

The name ‘Fterikoudi’ appears to derive from the forest plant “fteritzi” (fern), which grows abundantly in the area and gave the village its name. Ferns are indeed plentiful and easily observed throughout the village.

However, some argue that the name is linked to the village’s location, suggesting it comes from the word “fteri” (slope), meaning the village lies on the side of a mountain.

Population

Fterikoudi is one of the smaller villages in the Nicosia district. In recent years, its population has declined significantly. The main reason for abandonment is employment in the capital. Daily commuting is difficult, pushing more residents to permanently relocate there.

After the Turkish invasion, many workers commuted daily to Nicosia. Population figures have fluctuated considerably from 1881 to the present.

Year	Population	Year	Population
1881	150	1960	294
1891	220	1973	261
1901	211	1976	303
1911	257	1982	230
1921	273	2001	142
1931	318	2025	64 permanent residents
1946	385

Sources:

* Giorgos Karouzis, Travelling Through Cyprus: Nicosia, Nicosia, 2007, pp. 352–355.

* Great Cyprus Encyclopedia, Vol. 13, Philokypros Publications, Nicosia, 1987.

*  Vocal Monuments, by Panayiota Psilita Ioannou, Friends of Fterikoudi Edition (publication).