Kissonerga, Paphos, Cyprus

Kissonerga village is 5 km north-west of Paphos on a plateau about 200m above sea level with many homes enjoying sea views and retains a traditional, Cypriot village feel. Kissonerga also has a commercial appeal with new restaurants, pharmacy, beauty salons, coffee shops, a horse riding center and a boatyard that fixes sells and services boats. A multi-million Euro marina is also planned for Kissonerga Bay. Kissonerga first began a little farther north of the current village where you will find the site of a rare settlement from the Chalcolithic period.  The site is important because evidence suggests that a powerful fertility goddess was worshipped there. She was believed to have protected children and babies. The Paphos region is known to be an important pilgrimage center due to the famous Sanctuary of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and fertility. The whole village of Kissonerga is rich with archaeological treasures. In the northern part of Kissonerga a new football stadium was built amongst the many banana plantations. Before Cyprus became an EU member, Kissonerga had many more plantations, but now, many of them have died away because the product didn’t meet the requirements that allowed them to be exported to other EU countries. The Village has a Community Council that has worked hard to build and develop the infrastructure of Kissonerga. A few of the finished projects are: the creation of a modern community football stadium, shelter to protect the archaeological findings, a Community Youth Center, new pavements and roads, drains for rainwater and beautification of the community including a park that is next to the COOP and the “Windmill Park.”