History
Delikipos is a beautiful small village of the Larnaca district dominated by the green colour of pines. While strolling around Delikipos one can admire, apart from the areas covered in pines, grain, olive and carob cultivations, as well as a lot of prickly pears standing within the housing.
Particularly imposing are the age-long olive trees for which one could claim that they have stood there as sleepless guards of Delikipos for centuries in order to protect its few residents. According to the census of 2001, Delikipos had only 8 residents, just 1/3 of the population number recorded at the beginning of the 80s, while in 2011 the population number rose to 15 residents.
Historical information
According to Florios Voustronios, Delikipos used to be a fief back in the 15thcentury and more specifically in 1461. Delikipos also appears on Venetian maps as well as in a manuscript by Leimonidas. The Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia adds that the village is marked on medieval maps as “Dilichiper”.
Naming
The following versions are available with regards to the naming of the village.
- The first version, as the Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia preserves, links the naming of the village with the name of the first owner of the area who was named Delis. More specifically, the name of the village derives from the phrase “the garden (kipos) of Delis”.
- Another version supports that the village’s name is a compound word formed by the Italian word “bella” which means beautiful and the Greek word “kipos” which means garden, concluding that the meaning of the compound name is “beautiful garden”. According to the Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia, this version is the most correct one due to the fact that the village existed prior to the Turkish occupation (1570-71).
Sources:
Great Cyprus Encyclopaedia, vol.4, Philokypros Publications, Nicosia 1986
Giorgos Karouzis, Strolling around Cyprus, Larnaca, City and District, Nicosia 2007, p.100-101
Projects
The Community Council of Delikipos, aiming at the development, progress and beautification of the community, has planned and effectuated a series of projects. Presented below are some of the completed projects, the ones under construction and the ones which have been scheduled for effectuation.
Completed
- Levelling of nine building plots located at the entrance of the community to be given to poor families.
- Construction of an enrichment dam in the river and more specifically in the old mill area.
- Upgrade and maintenance of the Community Park.
- Reshaping of the area surrounding the church of Metamorphosis.
- Asphalting of a part of the rural road which connects the community with the neighbouring village of Lythrodontas.
- Cleaning and removal of debris along the river bed.
- Maintenance of the rural road and overlay with special soil.
- Creation of Nature’s Trail.
Under construction
- Construction of new community lavatories
- Construction of storage spaces at the church square
Scheduled
- Construction of a New Cemetery.
- Paving of the road which leads to the new building plots.
- Street Naming.
- Flood-protection works along the road leading to Lythrodontas.
- Construction of a new and bigger bridge.
Agriculture / Livestock
Ο Δελίκηπος είναι κατεξοχήν γεωργική και κτηνοτροφική κοινότητα. Οι λιγοστοί κάτοικοί του, διαχρονικά ασχολούνται με τη γεωργία και τη κτηνοτροφία.
Σύμφωνα με μαρτυρίες γερόντων του χωριού, στο Δελίκηπο, σχεδόν όλοι οι κάτοικοι ήταν βοσκοί, αλλά συνάμα καλλιεργούσαν και τις μικρές ιδιόκτητες περιουσίες τους.
Ολημερίς ξανοίγονταν στα πλούσια βοσκοτόπια της ευρύτερης περιοχής και έβοσκαν τα αιγιπρόβατά τους, που με τη σειρά τους προμήθευαν το θρεπτικό και εύγεστο γάλα, με το οποίο παρασκεύαζαν τα παραδοσιακά χαλλούμια, αναράδες, τυριά και άλλα παράγωγα του γάλακτος.
Πολλοί ήταν αυτοί που έρχονταν από διάφορες πόλεις για να αγοράσουν τα ξακουστά χαλλούμια και τον τραχανά του Δελίκηπου.
Παράλληλα με κόπο και μόχθο, πότιζαν με τον ιδρώτα τους τα ιερά χώματα των προπατόρων τους, τα καλλιεργούσαν με ευλάβεια και περισσή φροντίδα, κι αυτά τους ανταπέδιδαν απλόχερα, σε όλες τις εποχές του χρόνου, την πλούσια σοδειά απ’ όλα τα αγαθά που προσφέρει ο Δημιουργός: σιτάρι, κριθάρι, βίκο, ελιές, πατάτες, κηπευτικά (ντομάτες, αγγούρια, λάχανα, κραμβιά), φρούτα (σύκα, σταφύλια, ρόδια, παπουτσόσυκα κ. ά).
Πηγή: Βιβλίο «Ο ΔΕΛΙΚΗΠΟΣ γη της επαγγελίας» του Κώστα Χαραλαμπίδη
General information
ΟΝΟΜΑ | ΤΗΛΕΦΩΝΟ |
Πρόεδρος Κοινοτικού Συμβουλίου | 99453428 |
Αστυνομικός Σταθμός Κοφίνου | 24804380 |
Δασικός Σταθμός Κόρνου | 22532620 |